Martin 


No 

V 
Division 


N 


."V 


I 

THE   LIFE 


OP 

REV.  HENRY   MARTYN. 

WRITTEN   FOR  THE   AMERICAN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL   UNION, 

BY   JOHN   HALL. 


WITH  SOME  ACCOUNT  OF  ABDOOL  MESSEEH, 
A  HINDOO  CONVERT. 


REVISED  BY  THE  COMMITTEE  OF  PUBLICATION. 


AMERICAN  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  UNION. 
PHILADELPHIA : 

NO.  316   CHESNTJT   STREET. 


according  to  the  &ct  of  Congress  in  the  year 
1831,  by  PAUL  BECK,  Jr.  Treasurer,  in  trust  for  the  American 
Sunday  School  Union,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District 
Court  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


PREFACE. 

THIS  volume  has  been  principally  compiled  from 
the  tenth  English  edition  of  the  Memoirs  of  MR. 
MARTYN,  by  the  REV.  JOHN  SARGENT. 

The  author  of  the  present  publication  has  endea- 
voured to  present  his  subject  in  a  manner  which 
may  not  mislead  the  young,  in  forming  their  esti- 
mate of  Christian  character,  and  to  propose  the 
humble  missionary,  as  an  imitable  example,  rather 
than  an  object  of  vague  and  curious  admiration. 
To  effect  this  design,  he  has  avoided,  as  much  as 
possible,  the  use  of  terms  of  personal  eulogy ;  in 
hopes  that  the  perusal  of  the  biography  will  leave 
upon  the  youthful  reader  a  deeper  impression  of 
the  indispensable  need  of  Divine  power,  to  enable 
any  creature  to  lead  a  useful  and  holy  life.  Chil- 
dren are  taught,  at  least  by  implication,  to  believe, 
that  the  eminent  instances  of  piety  and  zeal,  which 
are  recorded  both  in  sacred  and  ordinary  history, 
are  exceptions  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  who 
directed  his  disciples  to  say — even  after  they  should 
have  done  "  all  those  tilings  which  were  com- 

3 


4  PREFACE. 

manded — we  are  unprofitable  servants  ;  we  have 
done  that  which  was  our  duty  to  do."  This 
course  is  likely  not  only  to  create  an  illusion  which 
more  mature  knowledge  will  but  imperfectly  dissi- 
pate, but  to  diminish  the  splendor  of  the  single 
example  of  perfect  righteousness  which  has  blessed 
our  world.  Its  tendency,  moreover,  is  to  foster 
that  hidden  corruption  of  religious  vanity  in  the 
heart  of  the  young  Christian,  which  usually  needs 
no  extraneous  aid  to  assist  it  in  impeding  the 
growth  of  grace. 

It  would  seem,  that  the  Memoirs  of  a  Christian 
should  be  rather  adapted  to  instruct  the  living,  than 
to  applaud  the  dead  ;  and  it  is  surprising  that  so 
few  works  of  the  kind  are  extant,  prepared  with 
evangelical  discrimination.  It  is  especially  im- 
portant that  this  principle  should  be  regarded  in 
biographies  designed  for  pupils  in  Sunday  schools  • 
and  it  would  be  a  new  honor  to  the  institution,  if 
the  productions  in  this  department,  which  claim 
their  patronage,  should  be  marked  by  this  rare 
moral  distinction. 


THE  LIFE 

OF 


HENRY  MARTYN. 

IrA 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE  father  of  Henry  Martyn  was  a  workman  in 
the  tin  mines  of  Cornwall,  in  England.  As  the 
miners  worked  very  deep  in  the  earth,  shut 
out  from  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  breathing  an 
unwholesome  air,  it  was  their  custom  to  labour 
four  hours,  and  then  to  spend  the  same  length  of 
time  in  resting.  During  these  hours  of  rest,  John 
Martyn  devoted  himself  to  improving  his  education, 
which  had  been  very  slight ;  and  by  his  industrious 
application,  he  soon  became  so  well  acquainted 
with  arithmetic,  that  he  was  at  length  engaged  as 
clerk,  by  a  merchant  in  the  town  of  Truro,  in  the 
county  of  Cornwall.  The  conduct  of  this  man  is 
an  example  to  all  persons  whose  occupations  afford 
them  any  leisure.  There  is  scarcely  any  one  who 
is  so  constantly  occupied,  as  not  to  have  some  time 
in  the  week,  for  the  improvement  of  his  mind. 
Had  John  Martyn  made  no  exertion  to  supply  his 
want  of  early  instruction,  he  would  probably 
A2  5 


6  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

have  wasted  his  life  in  the  miserable  toil  of 
digging  ore,  in  the  unwholesome  depths  of  the 
mines.  But  by  employing  his  spare  time  in  learn- 
ing, instead  of  wasting  it  in  idleness  and  intemper- 
ance, he  was'  soon  enabled  to  maintain  his  family 
respectably,  and  to  save  his  children  from  the  evils 
of  ignorance,  by  giving  them  a  good  education. 

Henry,  his  third  child,  the  subject  of  this 
volume,  was  born  at  Truro,  on  the  18th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1781,  and  before  he  was  eight  years  old, 
was  put  under  the  charge  of  an  excellent  school- 
master. At  school  he  was  remarkable  for  the  gen- 
tleness of  his  disposition ;  yet  he  was  not  a  general 
favourite  with  his  school-fellows,  as,  owing  to  the 
mildness  of  his  spirit,  he  was  not  inclined  to  engage 
in  their  sports,  and  was  fond  of  quiet.  After  spend- 
ing seven  years  at  this  school,  his  father  sent  him 
to  the  city  of  Oxford,  hoping  that  he  would  be 
admitted  as  a  student  in  one  of  the  colleges  of  the 
celebrated  university  at  that  place,  and  be  supported 
by  funds  which  are  raised  for  that  purpose,  called 
scholarships.  From  the  boys  who  apply  for  ad- 
mission on  these  terms,  the  most  promising  scholars 
are  selected  ;  but  Henry  had  not  been  very  studious, 
and,  though  some  of  his  examiners  were  in  favour  of 
electing  him,  he  did  not  succeed.  He  afterwards 
considered  this  failure  as  a  great  mercy  ;  for  had  he 
been  thrown,  when  not  fifteen  years  of  age,  into  the 


LIFE   OF   HENRY    MARTYN.  7 

evil  company  which  he  would  then  have  met  with 
at  college,  he  might  have  become  dissolute  beyond 
recovery.  He  returned  to  his  school,  and  remained 
under  the  same  teacher,  until  he  entered  St.  John's 
college,  in  the  university  of  Cambridge,  in  October, 
1797. 

Ambitious  to  be  distinguished,  and  anxious  to 
gratify  his  father,  he  applied  himself  diligently 
to  study  during  his  stay  in  college.  He  was 
moral  and  amiable  in  his  conduct,  excepting  that 
his  temper,  which  was  usually  very  mild,  was 
sometimes  irritated  to  an  improper  degree,  and 
led  him,  as  unrestrained  passions  always  lead 
those  who  indulge  them,  to  hasty  and  dangerous 
conduct.  Excellent  as  his  outward  character  was, 
it  was  not  so  because  he  was  anxious  to  fulfil  his 
duty  to  God,  who  requires  purity  of  heart  and  life 
from  all  his  intelligent  creatures.  And  he  was  so 
insensible,  at  this  time,  to  the  fact,  that  God  most 
justly  claims  that  every  being  should  live  to  his 
glory,  that  he  thought  it  a  very  strange  doctrine, 
when  a  pious  friend  told  him  that  he  ought  to  attend 
to  his  studies,  not  for  the  sake  of  gaining  praise 
from  man,  but  that  he  might  be  the  better  qualified  to 
promote  the  glory  of  God.  He  could  not,  however, 
but  acknowledge  that  it  was  entirely  reasonable, 
and  determined  that  he  would  hold  and  maintain 
this  opinion,  but  never  once  meant  that  it  should 


8  LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTYN. 

govern  his  conduct.  Of  course,  his  holding  a  cor- 
rect opinion,  without  acting  accordingly,  was  worth 
nothing,  and  only  increased  his  sinfulness  ;  as  he 
continued  to  follow  his  own  ambition,  after  he  was 
convinced  that  God  rightfully  claimed  all  his  ser- 
vices. Thus,  many  persons  are  well  acquainted 
with  the  history,  doctrines,  and  commands  of  the 
holy  scriptures,  who  do  not  live  according  to  what 
they  require,  and  aggravate  their  guilt,  because 
they  sin  wilfully,  after  knowing  the  truth.  And 
thus  many  believe  all  that  is  in  the  scriptures, 
as  they  believe  what  is  written  in  other  books  ;  but 
that  belief  or  faith,  only,  is  of  any  value  to  a  man, 
which  causes  him  to  receive  the  truth  in  his  heart, 
as  well  as  in  his  memory ;  to  live  according  to  its 
requirements,  and  to  obey  the  commandment,  "  re- 
pent and  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;"  which 
is  just  as  binding  on  the  whole  human  family,  as  any 
of  the  ten  commandments  which  were  given  at 
Sinai. 

The  great  desire  of  Martyn's  heart  was  to  excel 
at  college,  and  to  be  foremost  in  his  class,  and  this 
ambition  .occupied  his  mind  so  entirely,  that  he 
lived  without  God,  and  as  if  the  world  had  been 
created  for  his  honor,  instead  of  the  Maker's.  His 
wishes  and  aims  were  all  selfish ;  he  envied  and 
even  hated  those  who,  by  greater  industry  or  talents, 
attained  to  more  distinction  than  he  could  reach, 


LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTYN.  9 

whilst,  in  his  pride,  he  considered  himself  superior 
to  all,  and  professed  to  regard  them  with  contempt. 
These  unholy  feelings  were  so  much  increased  by 
his  disappointment  in  not  gaming  as  high  honours 
as  he  aspired  to,  that  upon  a  visit  to  his  home 
during  a  vacation,  he  used  disrespectful  language  to 
his  father,  when  he  would  express  opinions  differ- 
ing from  his  own.  When  he  became  a  penitent, 
and  looked  back  to  this  period,  he  exclaimed,  "  Oh 
what  an  example  of  patience  and  mildness  was  he  !  I 
love  to  think  of  his  excellent  qualities,  and  it  is  fre- 
quently the  anguish  of  my  heart,  that  I  ever  could  be 
so  base  and  wicked,  as  to  pain  him  by  the  slightest 
neglect.  Oh  my  God  and  Father,  why  is  not  my 
heart  doubly  agonized  at  the  remembrance  of  all 
my  transgressions  against  Thee,  ever  since  I  have 
known  Thee  as  such !" — During  this  same  visit, 
which  was  the  last  time  he  saAV  his  father,  his  pious 
sister  often  spoke  to  him  on  the  subject  of  reli- 
gion ;  but  he  confessed,  that  the  sound  of  the  gospel, 
thus  tenderly  accompanied  with  the  admonitions 
of  a  sister,  was  grating  to  his  ears.  Yet  he  could 
not  escape  the  conviction  that  she  spoke  the  truth, 
when  she  urged  its  claims  upon  him ;  but  then  it 
required  him  to  sacrifice  his  selfish  ambition,  and 
this  was  too  dear  an  object  to  give  up.  He  pro- 
mised to  read  the  Bible,  but  when  he  reached  col- 
lege, his  studies  filled  all  his  thoughts. 


10  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact,  which  he  afterwards 
acknowledged,  that  during  his   stay  at  home  the 
wickedness  of  his  heart  rose  to  a  greater  height  than 
at  any  other  time,  yet  the  change  which  soon  after- 
wards took  place  in  him,  seems  to  have  been  con- 
nected with  the  peculiar  state  of  his  circumstances 
and  feelings  at  that  period.     At  an  examination 
after  his  return  to  college,  his  ambition  attained  its 
object,  and  he  was  pronounced  first  in  his  class 
A  few  weeks  afterwards,  he  received  information 
of  the  sudden  death  of  his  father.    This  was  a  great 
affliction  to  him,  and  was  more  severe,  as  it  hap- 
pened in  the  midst  of  his  triumph,  and  brought  to 
his  remembrance  the  acts  of  filial  disrespect  which 
his  evil  passions  had  led  him  so  lately  to  commit. 
Finding  that  in  this  state  of  mind,  he  could  take  no 
pleasure   in  his  usual  studies,  he  resorted  to  his 
Bible,  under  the  impression  that  its  perusal  would 
be  more  suitable  to  his  present  feelings.     In  this 
new  direction  of  his  inquiries   he  was  encouraged 
by  his  pious  friend  at   college,   and    commenced 
reading  Luke's  narrative  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
as  the  most  entertaining  part  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment.     This  led  him  gradually  to  examine  the 
doctrines  of  those  holy  men ;    and  the  duty  of 
religion,  in  the  circumstances  of  his  affliction,  made 
this  much  of  an  impression,  that  he  began  to  use 
prayers,  and  to  ask  formally  for  pardon,  though  he 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  11 

had  little  sense  of  his  sinfulness.  His  heart  was 
evidently  softened  by  the  occurrence  of  his  father's 
death ;  and  the  admonitions  and  prayers  of  his  sis- 
ter, with  the  convictions  of  his  own  judgment,  dis- 
posed him  to  pay  attention  to  the  subject,  from  which 
he  was  not  violently  drawn  away,  as  formerly,  by 
his  pursuit  of  fame,  having  now  reached  the  high- 
est station  to  which  he  could  attain  in  his  class. 
But  his  pride  caused  him  to  shrink  from  the  hu- 
mility which  every  sinner  must  feel  before  he  can 
come  to  the  Saviour :  so  little  did  he  yet  know  his 
own  heart ;  for  the  man  who  truly  feels  the  condi- 
tion in  which  he  stands  in  the  sight  of  a  Supreme 
Being,  infinitely  great,  infinitely  holy,  infinitely 
just,  against  whose  laws,  and  mercy,  and  goodness, 
he  has  sinned  without  excuse,  cannot  but  be  hum- 
ble when  he  becomes  acquainted  with  his  true 
character. 

Such  was  the  apparent  commencement  of  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  Martyn's  heart ;  and 
although  on  his  return  to  Cambridge,  those  sacred 
impressions  were  in  danger  of  being  destroyed  by 
his  diligent  application  to  the  study  of  mathematics, 
which  once  more  threatened  to  engage  his  whole 
attention,  yet  the  divine  mercy  preserved  him  in 
the  trial.  Some  passages  in  a  letter  written  to 
his  sister  at  this  period,  show  that  religion 
must  have  entered  into  his  daily  thoughts,  and  that 


12  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

he  was  already  brought  to  see  the  reasonableness 
and  beauty  of  spiritual  devotion. 

"  What  a  blessing  it  is  for  me,  that  I  have  such 
a  sister  as  you,  my  dear  S — ,  who  have  been  so 
instrumental  in  keeping  me  in  the  right  way.  When 
I  consider  how  little  human  assistance  you  have 
had,  and  the  great  knowledge  to  which  you  have 
attained  on  the  subject  of  religion,  especially  ob- 
serving the  extreme  ignorance  of  the  most  wise  and 
learned  of  this  world,  I  think  this  is  itself  a  proof 
of  the  wonderful  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on 
the  minds  of  well-disposed  persons.  It  is  certainly 
by  the  Spirit  alone  that  we  can  have  the  will,  or 
power,  or  knowledge,  or  confidence  to  pray ;  and 
by  Him  alone  we  come  unto  the  Father  through 
Jesus  Christ.  *  Through  Him  we  both  have  access 
by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father.'  How  I  rejoice  to 
find  that  we  disagreed  only  about  words  !  I  did 
not  doubt,  as  you  suppose,  at  all  about  that  joy 
which  true  believers  feel.  Can  there  be  any  one 
subject,  any  one  source  of  cheerfulness  and  joy,  at 
all  to  be  compared  with  the  heavenly  serenity  and 
comfort  which  such  a  person  must  find  in  holding 
communion  with  his  God  and  Saviour  in  prayer ; 
in  addressing  God  as  his  Father,  and  more  than  all, 
in  the  transporting  hope  of  being  preserved  unto 
everlasting  life,  and  of  singing  praises  to  his  Re- 
deemer when  time  shall  be  no  more  ?  Oh  !  «I  do 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  13 

indeed  feel  this  state  of  mind  at  times ;  but  at 
other  times  1  feel  quite  humbled  at  finding  myself 
so  cold  and  hard-hearted  That  reluctance  to 
prayer,  that  unwillingness  to  come  unto  God,  who 
is  the  fountain  of  all  good,  when  reason  and  experi- 
ence tell  us,  that  with  him  only  true  pleasure  is  to 
be  found,  seem  to  be  owing  to  Satanic  influence." 

After  mentioning  that  his  mathematical  studies 
required  such  deep  thought  as  to  exclude,  for  the 
time,  every  other  subject  from  the  mind,  and  that 
they  were,  on  this  account,  very  dangerous  to  him, 
he  speaks  in  the  same  letter  of  the  beginning  of  his 
religious  feelings. 

"  After  the  death  of  our  father,  you  know  I  was 
extremely  low-spirited ;  and,  like  most  other  peo- 
ple, began  to  consider  seriously,  without  any  par- 
ticular determination,  that  invisible  world  to  which 
he  was  gone,  and  to  which  I  must  one  day  go. 
Yet  I  still  read  the  Bible  unenlightened ;  and  said 
a  prayer  or  two  rather  through  terror  of  a  superior 
power  than  from  any  other  cause.  Soon,  however, 
I  began  to  attend  more  diligently  to  the  words  of 
our  Saviour  in  the  New  Testament,  and  to  devour 
them  with  delight ;  when  the  offers  of  mercy  and 
forgiveness  were  made  so  freely,  I  supplicated  to 
be  made  partaker  of  the  covenant  of  grace  with 
eagerness  and  hope :  and  thanks  be  to  the  ever- 
blessed  Trinity  for  not  leaving  me  without  comfort. 
B 


14  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTVN. 

Throughout  the  whole,  however,  even  when  the 
light  of  divine  truth  was  beginning  to  dawn  on  my 
mind,  I  was  not  under  that  great  terror  of  future 
punishment,  which  I  now  see  plainly  I  had  every 
reason  to  feel :  I  look  back  now  upon  that  course 
of  wickedness  which,  like  a  gulf  of  destruction, 
yawned  to  swallow  me  up,  with  a  trembling  delight, 
mixed  with  shame  at  having  lived  so  long  in  igno- 
rance, and  error,  and  blindness.  I  could  say  much 
more,  but  I  have  no  more  room.  I  have  only  to 
express  my  acquiescence  in  most  of  your  opinions, 
and  to  join  with  you  in  gratitude  to  God  for  his 
mercies  to  us :  may  he  preserve  you  and  me  and 
all  of  us  to  the  day  of  the  Lord  !" 


CHAPTER   II. 

STILL  the  desire  of  applause,  and  the  ambition 
of  distinction  as  a  scholar,  that  great  temptation  of 
irdent  youth,  kept  him  from  making  much  progress 
in  the  infinitely  more  important  study  of  divine 
truth.  His  heart  was  still  destitute  of  humility, 
wid  he  was  not  yet  sensible  of  the  real  vanity 
of  human  pursuits.  This  lesson,  however,  the 
providence  of  God  taught  him  in  the  manner  which, 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN  15 

of  all  others,  would  make  the  deepest  impression 
on  such  a  mind  as  his.  It  was  not  until  he  received 
the  highest  honours  of  college,  in  January  1801, 
that  he  felt  that  temporal  gratifications  cannot  satisfy 
the  desires  of  the  soul.  "  I  obtained  my  highest 
wishes,"  he  said,  "  but  was  surprised  to  find  that  I 
grasped  a  shadow."  He  felt  a  disappointment 
which  astonished  himself,  that  the  great  object  for 
which  he  had  laboured  so  hard,  and  sacrificed  so 
much,  and  which  had  caused  him  even  to  neglect  the 
interest  which  he  had  in  eternity,  should  now  seem 
as  vain  and  unsatisfying,  as  if  he  had  been  toiling 
to  pursue  a  shadow  !  Happy  is  the  youth  who  will 
not  wait  for  experience  to  convince  him  that  this  is 
a  truth,  and  will  believe  what  the  word  of  God 
asserts  to  be  the  end  of  all  such  hopes  and  efforts ; 
who  will  trust  the  declarations  of  those  men  who 
have  tried  for  themselves,  and,  like  Martyn,  have 
been  obliged,  in  the  midst  of  their  triumph,  honestly 
to  confess  that  they  were  disappointed  of  the  happi- 
ness which  they  calculated  on  as  sure.  Martyn 
had  been  so  diligent  in  order  to  gain  this  supposed 
reward,  that  his  fellow-students  called  him  '  the  man 
who  had  not  lost  an  hour ;'  he  found  too  late  that 
he  had  for  ever  lost  many  hours  of  opportunity 
of  acquiring  the  knowledge  of  divine  truth,  and 
of  his  own  duty,  and  many  hours  of  happiness, 
such  as  all  the  honours,  and  even  all  the  pleasures 


16  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

of  learning,  can  never  confer,  or  compensate  a  man 
for  its  loss. 

Martyn  spent  the  vacation  of  the  next  summer 
at  college,  and  had  the  opportunity  of  being  much 
alone  ;  and  his  attention  not  being  absorbed  by  his 
studies  as  formerly,  he  was  able  to  give  a  more  se- 
rious and  deep  attention  to  the  condition  of  his  soul. 
He  devoted  much  time  to  meditation  upon  his  past 
life,  the  wandering  of  his  affection  from  God,  and 
the  necessity  of  some  great  change  in  his  heart,  to 
bring  him  to  make  that  willing  devotion  of  himself 
to  his  service,  which  he  saw  was  reasonably  requir- 
ed of  him,  and  which  he  felt  ought  to  be  his  highest 
happiness. 

"  God,"  he  observes,  "  was  pleased  to  bless  the 
solitude  and  retirement  I  enjoyed  this  summer,  to 
my  improvement:  and  not  until  then  had  I  ever 
experienced  any  real  pleasure  in  religion.  I  was 
more  convinced  of  sin  than  ever,  more  earnest  in 
fleeing  to  Jesus  for  refuge,  and  more  desirous  of 
the  renewal  of  my  nature." 

His  friendship  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Simeon,  of 
Cambridge,  and  several  pious  young  men,  was  a 
great  advantage  in  winning  his  affections  to  religion, 
and  giving  him  a  correct  view  of  the  Christian  cha- 
racter. He  had  determined  to  apply  himself  to  the 
study  of  law,  chiefly,  as  he  confessed,  "  because  he 
could  not  consent  to  be  poor  for  Christ's  sake," 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  17 

but  he  now  felt  willing  to  cut  off  all  prospect  of 
temporal  distinction,  and  resolved  to  prepare  for  the 
ministry.  The  influence  of  the  Spirit  seemed  to  at- 
tend the  use  of  the  means  of  spiritual  knowledge, 
so  that  he  could  write  to  a  friend  in  September 
1801,  "  blessed  be  God,  I  have  now  experienced 
that  Christ  is  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom 
of  God.  What  a  blessing  is  the  gospel !  No 
heart  can  conceive  its  excellency,  but  that  which 
has  been  renewed  by  divine  grace."  About  the 
same  time  he  wrote  thus  to  his  sister: 

"  When  we  consider  the  misery  and  darkness  of 
the  unregenerate  world,  oh !  with  how  much  rea- 
son should  we  burst  out  into  thanksgiving  to  God, 
who  has  called  us  in  his  mercy  through  Christ 
Jesus !  Who  that  reflects  upon  the  rock  from 
which  he  was  hewn,  but  must  rejoice  to  give  him- 
self entirely  and  without  reserve  to  God,  to  be 
sanctified  by  his  Spirit.  The  soul  that  has  truly 
experienced  the  love  of  God,  will  not  stay  meanly 
inquiring  how  much  he  shall  do,  and  thus  limit  his 
service  ;  but  will  be  earnestly  seeking,  more  and 
more,  to  know  the  will  of  our  heavenly  Father,  that 
he  may  be  enabled  to  do  it.  O  may  we  be  both 
thus  minded !  may  we  experience  Christ  to  be  our 
all  in  all,  not  only  as  our  Redeemer,  but  as  the 
fountain  of  grace.  Those  passages  of  the  word  of 
God  which  you  have  quoted  on  this  head,  are  n- 
B2 


18  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

deed  awakening  ;  may  they  teach  us  to  breathe 
after  holiness,  to  be  more  and  more  dead  to  the 
world,  but  alive  unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ: 
We  are  lights  in  the  world  ;  how  needful  then 
that  our  tempers  and  lives  should  manifest  our 
high  and  heavenly  calling.  Let  us,  as  we  do, 
provoke  one  another  to  good  works,  not  doubting 
but  that  God  will  bless  our  feeble  endeavours  to 
his  glory." 

Happening  to  call  at  a  house  where  a  gentleman, 
with  whom  he  had  a  slight  acquaintance,  was  lying 
ill,  he  found  his  wife  in  great  agony,  on  account  of 
the  unprepared  state  of  her  husband  to  enter  eter- 
nity, and  in  expectation  of  being  left  with  her  family 
entirely  destitute  of  maintenance,  if  he  should  die. 
He  found  it  in  vain  to  direct  her  thoughts  to  God, 
whom  they  both  had  probably  neglected  to  serve  in 
their  prosperity,  and  he  went  to  visit  her  daughters, 
who  had  removed  to  another  house,  that  their  ap- 
pearance of  grief  might  not  disturb  the  dying  man. 
Upon  entering  the  room,  he  found  a  member  of 
college  diverting  their  thoughts  by  reading  a  play  to 
them.  He  was  so  astonished  and  indignant  at  the 
sight,  that  he  rebuked  the  young  man  in  such  a 
manner  that  he  thought  it  would  produce  a  quarrel 
between  them.  But  he  was  joyfully  surprised  after- 
wards, when  he  came  to  thank  him  lor  the  reproof, 
and  acknowledge  that  it  had  made  a  serious  im- 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYX.  19 

pression  on  his  mind,  which  proved  to  be  perma- 
nent; and  Mr.  Martyn  was  afterwards  associated 
with  him  as  a  missionary  in  India. 

In  March  1802,  Mr.  Martyn  was  successful  in 
being  elected  to  a  fellowship  in  the  college — a 
privilege  granted  to  a  select  number  of  the  best 
scholars,  who  are,  on  certain  conditions,  supported 
by  the  funds  of  the  college,  and  have  the  privi- 
lege of  residing  there.  Soon  afterwards  he  ob- 
tained the  first  prize,  for  having  produced  the  best 
Latin  composition.  Thus  he  was  rising  rapidly 
to  distinction,  .and  his  prospects  of  success  in  life 
were  brilliant.  His  talents  and  acquirements  would 
no  doubt  have  easily  procured  him  honourable  and 
profitable  employment.  His  strong  natural  passion 
of  ambition  had  every  thing  that  is  tempting  in 
success,  to  allure  him  in  its  path  :  the  prospect  of 
a  distinguished  career  was  opening  most  favourably 
before  him.  The  sincerity  of  his  resolution  to  seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteousness, 
was  put  to  the  strongest  trial ;  yet,  through  the  Di- 
vine grace,  he  was  enabled  to  overlook  all  these 
temporal  advantages,  and  made  willing  to  conse- 
crate his  powers  to  the  promotion  of  the  glory  of 
God.  He  had  resolved  to  enter  the  ministry  :  but 
even  in  that  profession,  in  England,  there  is  a  large 
field  open  for  ambition,  and  the  learning  and  talents 
of  Martyn  might  have  gained  him  some  of  the 


20  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

highest  stations  in  the  church,  where  wealth,  ease, 
and  eminence  could  be  enjoyed.  But  his  great  de- 
sire was  to  be  employed  in  the  manner  in  which 
he  could  do  the  most  good  to  his  fellow  men,  and 
promote  the  glory  of  God,  by  extending  the  know- 
ledge of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  gospel.  He  knew,  too, 
that  in  the  humblest  station  he  would  be  most  likely 
to  increase  in  spiritual  piety,  as  he  would  be  ex- 
posed to  fewer  of  those  temptations,  by  which  he 
had  already  been  so  much  endangered.  He  there- 
fore determined  to  become  a  foreign  missionary, 
and  offered  himself  as  such  to  the  English  society, 
now  called  "  The  Church  Missionary  Society  for 
Africa  and  the  East." 

It  is  too  often  the  case,  that  in  perusing  the  life 
of  an  eminent  disciple  of  Christ,  the  reader  is  led 
to  suppose  that  the  person  who  is  spoken  of  in 
such  terms  of  praise  by  the  author,  was  so  excellent 
that  he  went  beyond  the  holiness  and  duty  that  are 
required  of  men  generally,  and  that  his  devotedness 
must  be  a  ground  of  worth  in  the  sight  of  God. 
This  manner  of  writing  should  be  carefully  avoided, 
as  it  encourages  human  presumption,  by  leading 
men  to  trust  much  in  the  amount  of  good  that  they 
may  do,  and  flatters  their  pride  by  persuading  them 
that  great  sacrifices  in  the  cause  of  Christianity  en- 
title them  to  distinction,  not  only  in  this  world,  but 
in  the  eve  of  heaven.  Alas  !  it  is  because  so  few 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  21 

persons  make  any  self-denial,  to  promote  the  honour 
of  the  Redeemer,  that  such  consequences  result. 
If  every  Christian  were  to  give  up  all  his  property, 
and  leave  home  and  family  for  ever,  and  go  to  dwell 
amongst  the  most  degraded  nations  of  the  furthest 
lands,  it  would  not  reach  the  amount  of  obligation 
they  are  under  ;  it  would  not  equal,  by  ten  thou- 
sand degrees,  the  favours  of  Jesus  Christ  to  this 
world.  Man  can  never,  by  all  his  good  deeds, 
have  a  claim  to  the  rewards  of  heaven.  Even 
after  a  long  life  thus  spent  in  wretchedness  and 
banishment, for  the  sake  of  doing  good  and  convert- 
ing souls,  it  is  an  act  of  God's  mere  mercy,  and 
that  for  Christ's  sake,  that  any  one  is  accepted  as  a 
faithful  servant,  and  in  this  sense,  counted  worthy 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  But  the  usefulness  of 
such  writings  consists  in  showing  how  much  good 
an  individual,  under  the  blessing  of  God,  may  per- 
form ;  and  thus  encouraging  other  men  to  undertake 
great  plans  of  usefulness,  by  the  proof  that  He  con- 
descends to  make  use  of  human  creatures  in  accom- 
plishing his  great  purposes  of  mercy  to  the  world. 
An  instance  of  such  devotedness  to  the  service  of 
God,  is  often  more  powerful  in  inducing  others  to 
follow  the  example,  than  even  the  fact  which  is  so 
clear  from  scripture,  that  God  effects  his  purposes 
by  human  agency,  and  that  it  is  therefore  men's 
duty  to  do  their  utmost,  at  all  hazards,  to  promote 


22  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

the  divine  designs.  So  it  was  in  the  case  of  Martyn 
himself,  whose  thoughts  were  led  to  a  missionary 
life,  by  the  accounts  of  the  great  success  which  had 
attended  the  labours  of  Dr.  Carey  in  India,  and  of 
David  Brainerd  among  the  American  Indians.  And 
the  object  of  preparing  this  life  of  Henry  Martyn,  is 
not  to  praise  him,  for  he  only  did  his  duty ;  and  even 
this,  as  he  acknowledged,  he  did  not  do,  (as  no 
Christian  in  this  life  does,)  with  that  entire  devot- 
edness  to  Christ,  and  freedom  from  all  sinful  and  sel- 
fish motives  which  the  service  of  our  Divine  mastei 
requires.  But  our  great  design  is  to  encourage  our 
young  readers  to  aim  at  doing  much  for  Christ ;  and 
to  show  the  power  of  Divine  grace  which  overcame 
the  worldly  ambition,  and  love  of  wealth  and  com- 
fort, which  were  natural  to  Martyn,  and  induced 
him  to  leave  all  prospect  of  happiness  from  these 
sources,  and  to  give  himself  up  wholly  to  the  em- 
ployment of  carrying  the  knowledge  of  the  way 
of  salvation  to  nations  who  were  in  all  the  darkness 
of  idolatry. 

Nor  are  we  to  suppose  that  it  cost  Martyn  no 
struggle,  to  give  up  all  these  prospects.  Men  are 
seldom  so  much  sanctified,  as  to  make  great  sacri- 
fices with  entire  cheerfulness.  He  had  still  to  strive 
with  his  pride,  his  love  of  the  world,  his  indisposi- 
tion to  toil  amongst  a  wretched  and  ignorant  people  ; 
but  he  found  strength  to  sustain  these  trials  by  per- 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  23 

severing,  earnest  prayer ;  by  meditating  more  on 
the  duty  he  owed  his  Maker,  and  the  return  which 
the  atonement  that  Christ  had  made  for  his  sins, 
called  for  from  him.  Thus,  through  God's  favour, 
not  through  any  ability  of  his  own,  he  became 
the  useful  man  he  afterwards  was  in  India. 

The  nature  of  the  temptations  he  underwent  at 
times,  may  be  understood  from  his  own  candid 
statement  of  them  to  his  pious  sister. 

"  I  received  your  letter  yesterday,  and  thank  God 
for  the  concern  you  manifest  for  my  spiritual  wel- 
fare. O  that  we  may  love  each  other  more  and 
more  in  the  Lord.  The  passages  you  bring  from 
the  word  of  God,  were  appropriate  to  my  case, 
particularly  those  from  the  first  Epistle  of  St.  Peter, 
and  that  to  the  Ephesians ;  though  I  do  not  seem 
to  have  given  you  a  right  view  of  my  state.  The 
dejection  I  sometimes  labour  under  seems  not  to 
arise  from  doubts  of  my  acceptance  with  God, 
though  it  tends  to  produce  them  ;  nor  from  despond- 
ing views  of  my  own  backwardness  in  the  divine 
life,  for  I  am  more  prone  to  self-dependence  and 
conceit ;  but  from  the  prospect  of  the  difficulties  I 
have  to  encounter  in  the  whole  of  my  future  life. 
The  thought  that  I  must  be  unceasingly  employed 
in  the  same  kind  of  work,  amongst  poor  ignorant 
people,  is  what  my  proud  spirit  revolts  at.  To  be 
obliged  to  submit  to  a  thousand  uncomfortable 


24  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

things  that  must  happen  to  me,  whether  as  a  minis* 
ter  or  a  missionary,  is  what  the  flesh  cannot  endure. 
At  these  times  I  feel  neither  love  to  God,  nor  love 
to  man ;  and  in  proportion  as  these  graces  of  the 
Spirit  languish,  my  besetting  sins,  pride,  and  dis- 
content, and  unwillingness  for  every  duty,  make 
me  miserable. 

"  You  will  best  enter  into  my  views  by  considering 
those  texts  which  serve  to  recall  me  to  a  right  aspect 
of  things.  I  have  not  that  coldness  in  prayer  you 
would  expect,  but  generally  find  myself  strength- 
ened in  faith  and  humility  and  love  after  it:  but 
the  impression  is  so  short.  I  am  at  this  time 
enabled  to  give  myself,  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  to 
God,  and  perceive  it  to  be  my  most  reasonable 
service.  How  it  may  be  when  the  trial  comes,  I 
know  not,  yet  I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid.  In 
order  to  do  his  will  cheerfully,  I  want  love  for  the 
souls  of  men ;  to  suffer  it,  I  want  humility :  let 
these  be  the  subjects  of  your  supplications  for  me. 
I  am  thankful  to  God  that  you  are  so  free  from 
anxiety  and  care :  we  cannot  but  with  praise 
acknowledge  his  goodness.  What  does  it  signify 
whether  we  be  rich  or  poor,  if  we  are  sons  of  God  ? 
How  unconscious  are  they  of  their  real  greatness, 
and  will  be  so  till  they  find  themselves  in  glory  ! 
When  we  contemplate  our  everlasting  inheritance, 
it  seems  too  good  to  be  true ;  yet  it  is  no  more 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  25 

than  is  due  to  the  kindred  of  '  God  manifest  in 
the  flesh.' 

"  A  journey  I  took  last  week  into  Norfolk  seems 
to  have  contributed  greatly  to  my  health.  The 
attention  and  admiration  shown  me  are  great  and 
very  dangerous.  The  praises  of  men  do  not  now, 
indeed,  flatter  my  vanity  as  they  formerly  did ;  I 
rather  feel  pain,  through  anticipation  of  their 
consequences :  but  they  tend  to  produce,  imper- 
ceptibly, a  self-esteem  and  hardness  of  heart.  How 
awful  and  awakening  a  consideration  is  it,  that  God 
judge th  not  as  man  judge th  !  Our  character  before 
him,  is  precisely  as  it  was  before  or  after  any 
change  of  external  circumstances.  Men  may  ap- 
plaud or  revile,  and  make  a  man  think  differently 
of  himself;  but  He  judgeth  of  a  man  according  to 
his  secret  walk.  How  difficult  is  the  work  of  self- 
examination  !  Even  to  state  to  you,  imperfectly, 
my  own  mind,  I  found  to  be  no  easy  matter.  Nay, 
St.  Paul  says,  *  I  judge  not  mine  own  self,  for  he 
that  judgeth  me  is  the  Lord.'  That  is,  though  he 
was  not  conscious  of  any  allowed  sin,  yet  he  was 
not  thereby  justified,  for  God  might  perceive  some- 
thing of  which  he  was  not  aware.  How  needful 
then,  the  prayer  of  the  Psalmist,  '  Search  me,  O 
God,  and  try  my  heart,  and  see  if  there  be  any 
evil  way  in  me.'  May  God  be  with  you,  and 
bless  you,  and  uphold  you  with  the  right  hand  of 
C 


26  LIFE   OP   HENUY  MARTYN. 

his  righteousness  :  and  let  us  seek  to  love  ;  for  *  he 
that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  for  God  is 
love.'  " 

His  diary  furnishes  a  farther  insight  into  his 
experience,  and  the  resoluteness  with  which  he 
opposed  the  wavering  of  his  faith  by  continual 
application  to  the  promises  of  God  in  Christ. 

"  Since  I  have  endeavoured  to  divest  myself  of 
every  consideration  independent  of  religion,  I  see 
the  difficulty  of  maintaining  a  liveliness  in  devotion 
for  any  considerable  time  together ;  nevertheless, 
as  I  shall  have  to  pass  the  greater  part  of  my  future 
life,  after  leaving  England,  with  no  other  source  of 
happiness  than  reading,  meditation,  and  prayer,  I 
think  it  right  to  be  gradually  mortifying  myself  to 
every  species  of  worldly  pleasure." — "  In  all  my 
past  life  I  have  fixed  on  some  desirable  ends,  at 
different  distances,  the  attainment  of  which  was  to 
furnish  me  with  happiness.  But  now,  in  seasons 
of  unbelief,  nothing  seems  to  lie  before  me  but  one 
vast  uninteresting  wilderness,  and  heaven  appear- 
ing but  dimly  at  the  end.  Oh  !  how  does  this  show 
the  necessity  of  living  by  faith !  What  a  shame 
that  I  cannot  make  the  doing  of  God's  will  my  ever 
delightful  object,  and  the  prize  of  my  high  calling 
the  mark  after  which  I  press  !" 

"  I  was  under  disquiet  at  the  prospect  of  my 
future  work,  encompassed,  as  it  appeared,  will. 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  27 

difficulties  ;  but  I  trusted  I  was  under  the  guidance 
of  infinite  wisdom,  and  on  that  I  could  rest.  Mr. 
Johnson,  who  had  returned  from  a  mission,  observ- 
ed that  the  crosses  to  be  enduied  were  far  greater 
than  could  be  conceived  ;  but '  none  of  these  things 
move  me,  neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  me, 
so  that  I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy.' — Had 
some  disheartening  thoughts  at  night,  at  the  pro- 
spect of  being  stripped  of  every  earthly  comfort ; 
but  who  is  it  that  maketh  my  comforts  to  be  a 
source  of  enjoyment  ?  Cannot  the  same  hand 
make  cold,  and  hunger,  and  nakedness,  and  peril, 
to  be  a  train  of  ministering  angels  conducting  me 
to  glory  ?" — "  O  my  soul,  compare  thyself  with  St. 
Paul,  and  with  the  example  and  precepts  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Was  it  not  his  meat  and  drink 
to  do  the  will  of  his  heavenly  Father?" 

"  What  is  the  state  of  my  own  soul  before  God  ? 
I  believe  that  it  is  right  in  principle :  I  desire  no 
other  portion  but  God :  but  I  pass  so  many  ho\irs 
as  if  there  were  no  God  at  all.  I  live  far  below 
the  hope,  comfort,  and  holiness  of  the  Gospel: 
but  be  not  slothful,  O  my  soul ; — look  unto  Jesus 
the  author  and  finisher  of  thy  faith.  For  whom 
was  grace  intended,  if  not  for  me  ?  Are  not  the 
promises  made  to  me  ?  Is  not  my  Maker  in  earnest, 
when  he  declareth  that  he  willeth  my  sanctifica- 
tion,  find  hath  laid  help  on  one  that  is  mighty  ? 


28  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

I  will  therefore  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh, 
but  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  and  the  joy  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  my  strength.  May  I  receive  from 
above  a  pure,  a  humble,  a  benevolent,  a  heavenly 
mind !" 

"  Learnt  by  heart  some  of  the  first  three  chapters 
of  Revelations.  This  is  to  me  the  most  searching 
and  alarming  part  of  the  Bible ;  yet  now  with 
humble  hope  I  trusted,  that  the  censures  of  my 
Lord  did  not  belong  to  me :  except  that  those 
words,  Rev.  ii.  3.  « For  my  name's  sake  thou 
hast  laboured  and  hast  not  fainted,'  were  far  too 
high  a  testimony  for  me  to  think  of  appropriating 
to  myself;  nevertheless  I  besought  the  Lord,  that 
whatever  I  had  been,  I  might  now  be  perfect  and 
complete  in  all  the  will  of  God." — "  Men  frequently 
admire  me,  and  I  am  pleased ;  but  I  abhor  the 
pleasure  I  feel ;  oh !  did  they  but  know  that  my 
root  is  rottenness  !"— "  Heard  Professor  Parish 
preach  at  Trinity  Church,  on  Luke  xii.  4,  5,  and 
was  deeply  impressed  with  the  reasonableness  and 
necessity  of  the  fear  of  God.  Felt  it  to  be  a  light 
matter  to  be  judged  of  man's  judgment ;  why  have 
I  not  awful  apprehensions  of  the  glorious  Being  at 
all  times  ?  The  particular  promise — '  him  that 
overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of 
my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out,'  dwelt  a 
long  time  in  my  mind,  and  diffused  an  affectionate 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  29 

reverence  of  God." — "  I  see  a  great  work  before 
me  now,  namely,  the  subduing  and  mortifying 
of  my  perverted  will.  What  am  I  that  I  should 
dare  to  do  my  own  will,  even  if  I  were  not  a  sinner ; 
but  now  how  plain,  how  reasonable  to  have  the 
love  of  Christ  constraining  me  to  be  his  faithful 
willing  servant,  cheerfully  taking  up  the  cross  he 
shall  appoint  me." — "  Read  some  of  Amos.  The 
reading  of  the  Prophets  is  to  me  one  of  the  most 
delightful  employments.  One  cannot  but  be  charm- 
ed with  the  beauty  of  the  imagery,  while  they 
never  fail  to  inspire  me  with  awful  thoughts  of  God 
and  of  his  hatred  of  sin.  The  reading  of  Baxter's 

o 

Saint's  Rest,  determined  me  to  live  more  in  heavenly 
meditation." — "  Walked  by  moonlight,  and  found 
it  a  sweet  relief  to  my  mind  to  think  of  God  and 
consider  my  ways  before  him.  I  was  strongly 
impressed  with  the  vanity  of  the  world,  and  could 
not  help  wondering  at  the  imperceptible  operation 
of  grace,  which  had  enabled  me  to  resign  the  ex- 
pectation of  happiness  from  it." — "  How  frequently 
has  my  heart  been  refreshed,  by  the  descriptions 
in  the  Scriptures  of  the  future  glory  of  the  Church, 
and  the  happiness  of  man  hereafter." — "  I  felt 
the  force  of  Baxter's  observation,  that  if  an  angel 
had  appointed  to  meet  me,  I  should  be  full  of 
awe ;  how  much  more  when  I  am  about  to  meet 
God," 

c2 


30  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

"  Ah  !  what  a  heart  is  mine  !  The  indistinctness 
of  my  view  of  its  desperate  wickedness  is  terrible 
to  me,  that  is,  when  I  am  capable  of  feeling  any 
terror.  But  now  my  soul !  rise  from  earth  and 
hell, — shall  Satan  lead  me  captive  at  his  will,  when 
Christ  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  the 
vilest  worm  ?  O  thou  !  whose  I  am  by  creation, 
preservation,  redemption,  no  longer  my  own,  but, 
his  who  lived  and  died  and  rose  again,  once  more 
would  I  resign  this  body  and  soul,  mean  and 
worthless  as  they  are,  to  the  blessed  disposal  of 
thy  holy  will !  May  I  have  a  heart  to  love  God 
and  his  people,  the  flesh  being  crucified !  May 
grace  abound,  where  sin  has  abounded  much  !  May 
I  cheerfully  and  joyfully  resign  my  ease  and  life  in 
the  service  of  Jesus,  to  whom  I  owe  so  much ! 
May  it  be  sweet  to  me  to  proclaim  to  sinners  like 
myself,  the  blessed  efficacy  of  my  Saviour's  blood  ! 
May  he  make  me  faithful  unto  death  !  The  greatest 
enemy  I  dread  is  the  pride  of  my  own  heart. 
Through  pride  reigning,  I  should  forget  to  know  a 
broken  spirit :  then  would  come  on  unbelief,  weak- 
ness, apostacy." 

"  Let  then,"  he  wrote  to  a  friend,  "  no  obstacle 
intervene,  to  prevent  the  increase  of  my  self-know- 
ledge, in  which  I  am  lamentably  deficient.  Let  us 
both  bend  our  minds  to  the  discipline  necessary  to 
obtain  it,  and  communicate  our  discoveries  for  out 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  31 

mutual  benefit.  How  strongly  is  the  importance 
of  self-knowledge,  and  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  it, 
marked  by  these  words  ;  '  Keep  thy  heart  with  all 
diligence,  for  out  of  it  are  the  issues  of  life.'  And 
to  those  who  cannot  keep  their  hearts  for  want  of 
knowing  any  thing  about  them,  very  compassionate 
are  the  words  of  our  Lord ;  '  Because  thou  knowest 
not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor, 
and  blind,  and  naked,  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me 
gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich  ;  and 
white  raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and 
that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear ; 
and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye  salve,  that  thou 
mayest  see.'  You  put  me  in  mind,  in  your  last 
letter,  of  former  days.  What  fruit  had  we  then  in 
those  things,  whereof  we  are  now  ashamed  ?  But 
those  days  have  passed  away  for  ever.  And  when 
glory  shall  open  upon  our  view,  neither  sorrow 
nor  sin,  shall  again  interrupt  our  joys  for  ever.  I 
will  echo  your  words,  and  say,  '  What  manner  of 
love  is  this,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of 
God !'  We  may  look  upon  one  another,  and  re- 
member our  former  selves,  and  say,  '  What  hath 
God  wrought !'  '  Not  by  works  of  righteousness 
which  thou  hast  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy 
he  saved  thee.'  Now  then,  my  dear  brother,  let 
all  the  rest  of  our  life  be  cheerfully  devoted  to  God. 
We  are  no  longer  our«own,  but  are  bought  with  a 


32  LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTYN. 

price — with  what  a  price  !  Let  us  adore  him  also, 
that  we  are  called  in  our  youth ;  that  while  our 
hearts  are  susceptible  of  warm  emotions,  they  are 
taught  the  glow  of  Divine  affections.  Let  us  glorify 
him  on  the  earth,  if  many  years  are  assigned  us, 
and  finish  the  work  which  he  hath  given  us  to  do. 
And  may  we  come  to  our  graves  in  a  full  age,  as  a 
shock  of  corn  cometh  in  his  season." 


CHAPTER   III. 

MR.  MARTYN  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  on 
the  22d  of  October,  1803.  He  complained  to  a 
friend  that  "  this  occasion,  so  solemn  in  itself, 
through  want  of  retirement,  was  not  so  to  me." 

He  passed  the  time,  which,  by  the  rules  of  the 
English  Episcopal  church,  is  required  before  min- 
isters can  be  admitted  to  the  full  exercise  of  the 
sacred  office,  as  assistant  to  his  friend,  the  Rev 
Mr.  Simeon,  in  his  church  at  Cambridge,  and  as 
pastor  in  a  small  village  at  a  short  distance  from  the 
town.  In  this  capacity  he  laboured  constantly  in 
preaching,  and  in  making  religious  visits  to  the 
houses  of  the  poor,  and  to  hospitals. 

After  speaking  of  his  preparations  for  the  pulpit, 
he  says,  "  Another  part  of  my  stated  ministrations, 
is  to  visit  one  part  of  Mr.  Simeon's  people  ever^ 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  33 

week.  Unless  the  mind  be  in  a  spiritual  and  hea- 
venly frame,  it  is  difficult  to  go  through  this  service 
with  any  degree  of  satisfaction.  However,  though 
I  have  often  gone  to  them  cramped  with  sinful  fear, 
I  have  been  enabled  to  go  through  with  ease  and 
comfort,  thanks  be  to  God.  I  have  been  generally 
in  great  depression  of  spirits  ever  since  my  ordina- 
tion ;  for,  having  at  that  time  not  a  single  sermon, 
my  hands  and  head  have  been  constantly  employed 
in  that  business,  while  my  heart  has  not  had  its 
due  share  of  exercise.  I  am  now  recovering  from 
my  cowardly  despondency  on  that  head ;  but  lately 
I  have  been  in  heaviness  again,  through  the  preva- 
lence of  self-will,  and  the  prospect  of  incessant  self- 
denial.  God  help  me  to  endure  hardness,  as  a 
good  soldier  of  Christ  Jesus  ;  to  fight  the  good  fight 
of  faith  ;  and  to  be  a  partaker  of  the  afflictions  of 
the  Gospel,  according  to  the  power  of  God.  My 
chief  comfort  is  to  meditate  on  the  world  to  come, 
though  it  is  a  happiness  which  I  can  seldom  steadily 
enjoy,  the  train  of  one's  thoughts  is  so  influenced 
and  directed  by  the  empty  concerns  of  human  life. 
Another  evil  with  me  is  great  childish  levity,  and 
want  of  serious  conviction  of  the  awful  work  of  the 
ministry.  In  the  pulpit  I  have  hitherto  been  think- 
ing only  of  the  sermon  before  me,  unconscious  of 
the  presence  of  God  or  the  people.  Deliver  me 
from  blood-guiltiness,  0  God  !" 


34  LIFE   OF   HENRY   MA.RTYN. 

During  this  interval,  the  estate  which  his  sistej 
and  himself  inherited  from  their  father,  was  lost ; 
and  instead  of  being  able  to  go  out  as  a  missionary, 
at  his  own  expense,  as  appears  to  have  been  his 
original  design,  he  now  sought  an  appointment  as 
a  chaplain  of  the  East  India  Company,  to  be  em- 
ployed at  some  of  their  stations  ;  which  he  thought 
would  give  him  great  advantages  in  preaching  to 
the  heathen.  We  copy  here  another  of  his  let- 
ters : 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  the  Gospel  spreads 
among  you,  for  the  sake  of  my  poor  fellow-sinner^. 

0  that  I  had  the  glory  of  Christ  more  at  heart ! 
Most  of  us  have  far  tqo  little  earnestness ;  and  I 
for  one.     Wall's  Lane  is  in  my  parish  here.     Its 
well  known  character  will  give  you  to  understand 
that  I  have  abundant  room  for  the  exercise  of  zeal. 

1  have  as  yet  visited  only  the  two  alms-houses  and 
the  poor-house,  in  which  I  meet  the  people  once  a 
week,  and  two  or  three  other  houses.     To  cleanse 
these  stables  of  Augeas,  I  may  well  be  taught  a 
useful  lesson  from  the  fabled  hero — not  to  attempt 
the  work  in  my  own  strength,  but  to  turn  the  river 
of  grace  into  it.     In  my  country  parish,  religion  is 
at  a  low  ebb.     The  school,   however,  is  re-esta- 
blished ;  and  the  benefit  of  it  will,  I  trust,  be  of 
eternal  consequence.     With  respect  to   my  own 
heart,  my  dear  friend,  what  shall  I  say  ?   I  have 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  35 

been  visited,  of  late,  with  some  very  severe  trials ; 
of  which  the  loss  of  the  fortunes  of  myself  and  two 
sisters  is  the  least.  As  often  as  the  pride  and 
arrogance  of  my  heart  are  brought  down  into  the 
dust,  and  1  am  able  to  walk  softly  before  the  Lord, 
I  am  peaceful  and  happy  enough.  My  present 
desire  is  to  walk  alone  with  God.'  I  have  lived  too 
much  in  public ;  going  to  God  in  prayer  as  if  1 
were  coming  out  of  a  crowd,  and  about  to  be  tossed 
into  it  again.  But  to  walk  with  God  is  surely  to 
be  with  him  always ;  to  preach  as  one  delivering 
the  message  in  his  presence ;  to  plead  with  souls 
as  in  the  stead  of  the  invisible  God  near  us.  Ah,  my 
brother,  we  die  alone.  If  we  have  not  lived  in 
solitary  communion  with  God,  we  shall  start  at 
finding  ourselves,  in  the  solemn  silence  of  death, 
about  to  launch  forward  where  no  friends,  no  ordi- 
nances, can  accompany  us." 

We  cannot  help  observing,  how  the  impressive 
thought,  contained  in  the  last  sentences,  was  strik- 
ingly and  literally  exemplified,  in  the  circumstances 
of  his  own  decease.  He  shortly  wrote  again : 

"  I  am  about  to  alter  my  plan  of  preaching  to 
my  country  congregation.  They  have  been  hear- 
ing from  me  the  Gospel,  for  which  they  are  by  no 
means  prepared :  for  I  have  discovered,  to  my  sur- 
prise and  grief,  that  they  do  not  know  the  difference 
between  sin  and  duty.  It  is  now  my  design  to 


36  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

explain  to  them  the  Commandments,  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  &c." — "  Through  the  tender  mercy  of 
God,  I  begin  to  feel  a  little  more  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness than  formerly.  O,  my  brother,  how  great  the 
honour  that  in  our  office,  at  least,  we  are  like  to 
Christ ;  that,  in  this  respect,  as  he  was,  so  are  we 
in  this  world  !  May  love  carry  forward  -our  feet  in 
swift  obedience  ;  and  may  we  continue  in  our  work, 
with  all  firmness,  and  patience,  and  tenderness  for 
the  souls  of  men  !" 

Martyn  spent  much  of  his  time  in  devotion,  and 
in  reading  the  scriptures.  He  committed  large  por- 
tions to  memory,  that  he  might  always  have  a  sub- 
ject for  meditation;  and  whenever  he  became  so 
interested  in  any  other  book,  as  to  have  reason  to 
fear  that  it  was  more  pleasing  to  him  than  the 
Bible,  he  would  at  once  lay  it  aside ;  until,  by  re- 
turning to  the  sacred  volume,  his  mind  was  restored 
to  feel  the  value  and  interest  of  its  truths  above  all 
others.  He  was  in  the  habit  of  setting  apart  whole 
days  for  secret  religious  services,  examining  his 
heart,  searching  the  scriptures,  and  imploring  the 
mercy  and  direction  of  God.  And  that  he  might 
do  this  with  the  least  interruption,  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  abstain  from  his  usual  food  at  such  seasons  ; 
as  devout  men,  from  very  ancient  times,  have  ob- 
served fasts.  He  thus  speaks  in  his  diary  of  the 
reasons  and  effect  of  these  occasions  : 


LIFE    OF   HENRY  MARTYX.  37 

"  I  felt  the  need  of  setting  apart  a  day  for  the 
restoration  of  my  soul  by  solemn  prayer  :  my  views 
of  eternity  are  becoming  dim  and  transient.  I 
could  live  for  ever  in  prayer,  if  I  could  always 
speak  to  God.  I  sought  to  pause,  and  to  consider 
what  I  wanted,  and  to  look  up  with  fear  and  faith, 
and  I  found  the  benefit ;  for  my  soul  was  soon  com- 
posed to  that  devout  sobriety  which  I  knew  by  its 
sweetness  to  be  its  proper  frame.  I  was  engaged 
in  prayer  in  the  manner  I  like,  deep  seriousness  ; 
at  the  end  of  it,  I  felt  great  fear  of  forgetting  the 
presence  of  God,  and  of  leaving  him  as  soon  as  I 
should  leave  the  posture  of  devotion.  I  was  led 
through  the  mists  of  unbelief,  and  spake  to  God  as 
one  that  was  true  ;  and  rejoiced  exceedingly  that 
he  was  holy  and  faithful.  I  endeavoured  to  con- 
sider myself  as  being  alone  on  the  earth  with  him, 
and  that  greatly  promoted  my  approach  to  his  pre- 
sence. My  prayer  for  a  meek  and  holy  sobriety 
was  granted.  O  how  sweet  the  dawn  of  heaven  !"' 
As  there  was  every  prospect  of  succeeding  in  the 
application  he  had  made  for  an  Indian  chaplaincy, 
he  began  to  prepare  for  his  departure,  by  taking 
leave  of  his  friends  in  Cornwall.  This  was,  of 
course,  a  severe  trial.  He  was  to  bid  farewell  to 
country  and  friends,  to  sisters,  and  a  lady  to  whom 
he  was  still  more  tenderly  attached,  with  the  pro 
spect  of  never  again  seeing  them  in  this  world.  T< 
D 


38  LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTYN. 

a  person  of  his  amiable  and  domestic  disposition, 
such  a  separation  was  full  of  distress.  Besides, 
he  was  going  to  reside  in  another,  and  far  distant 
continent,  in  a  climate  so  hot,  that  it  always  weak- 
ens, and  is  often  fatal  to  the  constitutions  of  natives 
of  cooler  countries.  The  people  with  whom  he  ex- 
pected to  live,  were  uneducated,  poor,  vicious,  and 
idolatrous.  Having  never  been  instructed  in  Chris- 
tianity, his  task  would  be  to  overcome,  if  possible, 
the  prejudices  in  favour  of  their  own  superstitions, 
which  they  and  their  ancestors  had  cherished  for 
centuries  ;  and  to  persuade  them  to  adopt  a  religion 
which  would  oblige  them  to  give  up  their  dearest  sin- 
ful enjoyments.  Ignorant  of  each  other's  language, 
he  would  be  obliged  to  study  theirs,  although  one 
little  known  to  Europeans,  and  extremely  difficult  to 
be  acquired.  These  discouragements  are  mentioned, 
not  to  exalt  the  praises  of  Martyn  ;  for  had  he  been 
a  perfect  man,  they  would  have  appeared  too  in- 
significant to  affect  him  at  all,  but  to  show  that  God 
gives  strength  to  those  who  serve  Him,  and  depend 
upon  Him,  proportionate  to  their  trials  and  neces- 
sities ;  that  his  grace  can  enable  a  man  to  do  actions 
of  benevolence,  which  no  other  influence  could  ; 
and  that  the  sacrifices  which  Martyn  made,  are  a 
proof  of  the  reality  of  religion,  as  well  as  of  the 
sincerity  of  his  own  profession.  Let  the  person 
who  is  now  reading  this  page,  stop  here,  and  ask 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  39 

whether  he  would  be  willing  to  leave  his  parents, 
fi iends,  and  home  to-morrow,  and  go  to  live 
amongst  a  population  cf  half-savage  people,  six- 
teen thousand  miles  from  his  home,  and  spend  the 
whole  of  his  life  in  teaching  them  to  read,  and  per- 
suading them  to  believe  the  gospel ;  to  be  all  this 
time  subject  to  abuse  and  ridicule,  from  most  of 
these  people  ;  to  be  exposed  to  weak  health  and 
early  death,  and  to  do  all  this,  merely  and  solely 
because,  if  a  single  one  is  converted,  it  would 
promote  the  glory  of  God  by  bringing  one  more 
soul  to  acknowledge  Him,  and  make  that  soul 
happy  for  ever.  Let  the  reader,  who  has  now  his 
eye  upon  these  words,  seriously  ask  what  would 
induce  him  or  her  to  do  this  ;  and  then  think,  if  you 
are  not  willing  at  once  to  act  thus,  what  it  is  that  is 
wanting  in  you.  You  will  find  that  religion  is  in- 
deed a  reality  :  that  the  Bible  is  indeed  true,  which 
declares  that  God  will  surely  make  willing  and  able, 
all  who  put  their  trust  in  Him,  to  perform  whatever 
his  providence  calls  them  to  do.  If  you  profess 
to  be  a  follower  of  Christ  and  to  seek  the  advance- 
ment of  his  kingdom,  are  you  doing  all  you  can  for 
this  object,  or  are  you  waiting  for  the  judgment, 
supposing  that  Christ  will  acknowledge  a  professed, 
but  unprofitable  servant  ? 


40  LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTYN*. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

FROM  Cornwall,  Mr.  Martyn  returned  to  Cam- 
bridge, where  he  continued  to  assist  Mr.  Simeon  in 
his  church.  Although  distressed  with  the  conscious- 
ness of  his  sinfulness,  and  un worthiness  to  be  a  min- 
ister of  Christ,  he  had  comforts  also,  which  assured 
him  that  he  had  an  interest  in  his  Divine  Redeemer : 
so  that  he  could  confidently  say,  "  I  wish  for  no  ser- 
vice but  the  service  of  God  ; — to  labour  for  souls  on 
earth,  and  to  do  his  will  in  heaven  ;"  and  at  another 
time,  "  0  hasten  the  day  when  I  shall  come  to  thee  ; 
when  I  shall  no  more  be  vexed,  and  astonished, 
and  pained,  at  the  universal  wretchedness  of  this 
lost  earth.  But  here  would  I  abide  my  time,  and 
spend  and  be  spent  for  the  salvation  of  any  poor 
soul ;  lie  down  at  the  feet  of  sinners,  and  beseech 
them  not  to  plunge  into  an  eternity  of  torment." 
It  will  be  instructive  to  copy  here  some  pages  from 
his  letters  and  diary,  in  which  he  wrote  down  the 
state  of  his  feelings  at  this  period. 

"  We  should  consider  it  as  a  sign  for  good,  my 

dearest  S- ,  when  the  Lord  reveals  to  us  the 

almost  desperate  corruption  of  our  hearts.  For,  if 
he  causes  us  to  groan  under  it,  as  an  insupportable 
burden,  he  will,  we  may  hope,  in  his  own  time 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  41 

give  us  deliverance.  The  pride  which  I  see  dwell- 
ing in  my  own  heart,  producing  there  the  most 
obstinate  hardness,  I  can  truly  say  my  soul  abhors. 
I  see  it  to  be  unreasonable,  I  feel  it  to  be  torment- 
ing. When  I  sometimes  offer  up  supplications, 
with  strong  crying  to  God,  to  bring  down  my  spirit 
into  the  dust,  I  endeavour  calmly  to  contemplate  the 
infinite  majesty  of  the  most  high  God,  and  my  own 
meanness  and  wickedness.  Or  else  I  quietly  tell 
the  Lord,  who  knows  the  heart,  that  I  would  give 
him  all  the  glory  of  every  thing,  if  I  could.  But  the 
most  effectual  way  I  have  ever  found,  is  to  lead  away 
my  thoughts  from  myself  and  my  own  concerns, 
by  praying  for  all  my  friends  ;  for  the  church,  the 
world,  the  nation ;  and  especially  by  beseeching, 
that  God  would  glorify  his  own  great  name,  by 
converting  all  nations  to  the  obedience  of  faith ; — 
also  by  praying  that  he  would  put  more  abundant 
honour  on  those  Christians  whom  he  seems  to  have 
honoured  especially,  and  whom  we  see  to  be  mani- 
festly our  superiors.  This  is  at  least  a  positive  act 
of  humility,  and  it  is  certain  that  not  only  will  a 
good  principle  produce  a  good  act,  but  the  act  will 
increase  the  principle.  But  even  after  doing  all 
this,  there  will  often  arise  a  certain  self-complacen 
cy  which  has  need  to  be  checked;  and  in  conver- 
sation with  Christian  friends,  we  should  be  careful, 
I  think,  how  self  is  introduced.  Unless  we  think 

D2 


42  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYIV. 

that  good  will  be  done,  self  should  be  kept  in  the 
back  ground,  and  mortified.  We  are  bound  to  be 
servants  of  all,  ministering  to  their  pleasure  as  far 
as  will  be  to  their  profit.  We  are  to  *  look  not  at 
our  own  things,  but  at  the  things  of  others.'  Be 

assured,  my  dear  S that  night  and  day,  making 

mention  of  you  in  my  prayers,  I  desire  of  God  to 
give  you  to  see  the  depth  of  pride  and  iniquity  in 
your  heart,  yet  not  to  be  discouraged  at  the  sight 
of  it :  that  you  may  perceive  yourself  deserving  to 
be  cast  out  with  abhorrence  from  God's  presence  ; 
and  then  may  walk  in  continual  poverty  of  spirit, 
and  the  simplicity  of  a  little  child.  Pray,  too,  that 
I  may  know  something  of  humility.  Blessed  grace ! 
how  it  smooths  the  furrows  of  care,  and  gilds  the 
dark  paths  of  life  !  It  will  make  us  kind,  tender- 
hearted, Affable,  and  enable  us  to  do  more  for  God 
and  the  gospel,  than  the  most  fervent  zeal  without 
it." 

"  Sept.  30£/i,  1804. — My  mind,  this  morning, 
easily  ascended  to  God,  in  peaceful  solemnity.  1 
succeeded  in  finding  access  to  God,  and  being  alone 
with  him.  Could  I  but  enjoy  this  life  of  faith  more 
steadily,  how  much  should  I  <  grow  in  grace,'  and 
be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  my  mind.  At  such  sea- 
sons of  fellowship  with  the  Father,  and  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ,  when  the  world,  and  self,  and  eternity, 
are  nearly  in  their  right  places,  not  only  are  my 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  43 

X'iews  of  duty  clear  and  comprehensive,,  but  the 
proper  motives  have  a  more  constraining  influence.' 

"  Oct.  28th. — This  has  been  in  general  a  happy 
day.  In  the  morning,  through  grace,  I  was  enabled 
by  prayer  to  maintain  a  calm  recollection  of  my- 
self,— and  what  was  better,  of  the  presence  of  my 
dear  Redeemer.  From  the  church  I  walked  to  our 
garden,  where  I  was  above  an  hour,  I  trust  with 
Christ,  speaking  to  him  chiefly  of  my  future  life  in 
his  service.  I  determined  on  entire  devotedness, 
though  with  trembling ;  for  the  flesh  dreads  cruci- 
fixion. But  should  I  fear  pain,  when  Christ  was 
so  agonized  for  me  ?  No, — come  what  will,  I  am 
determined,  through  God,  to  be  a  fellow  worker 
with  Christ.  I  recollected  with  comfort,  that  I  was 
speaking  to  the  great  Creator,  who  can  make  such 
a  poor  weak  worm  as  myself '  more  than  conqueror.' 
At  church  I  found  by  the  attention  of  the  people, 
that  the  fervour  of  my  spirit  yesterday  had  been 
conveyed  into  my  sermon.  I  came  to  my  room, 
rejoicing  to  be  alone  again,  and  to  hold  communion 
with  God." 

"  Dec.  9th. — This  has  been  in  general  a  sweet 
and  blessed  day, — a  foretaste  of  my  eternal  sabbath. 
Preached  on  the  third  commandment :  in  the  after- 
noon on  the  tenth.  Rode  back  to  Cambridge,  feeling 
quite  willing  to  go  any  where,  or  to  suffer  any 
thing  for  God.  Preached  in  Trinity  church,  on 


44  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.  'Say  unto  them, — As  I  live 
saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death 
of  the  wicked :  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his 
way  and  live :  turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil 
ways  ;  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel  ?'  It 
xvas  pleasant  to  me  to  think  of  being  alone  again 
with  God." 

66  Jan.  1,  1805. — Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped 
me.  It  is  now  about  five  years  since  God  stopped 
me  in  the  career  of  worldliness,  and  turned  me  from 
the  paths  of  sin : — three  years  and  a  half  since  I 
turned  to  the  Lord  with  all  my  heart : — and  a  little 
more  than  two  years  since  he  enabled  me  to  devote 
myself  to  his  service  as  a  missionary.  My  progress 
of  late  has  become  slower  than  it  had  been :  yet  I 
can  truly  say,  that  in  the  course  of  this  time,  every 
successive  year,  every  successive  week,  has  been 
happier  than  the  former.  From  many  dangerous 
snares  hath  the  Lord  preserved  me  :  in  spite  of  all 
my  inward  rebellion,  he  hath  carried  on  his  work 
in  my  heart ;  and  in  spite  of  all  my  unbelieving 
fears,  he  hath  given  me  a  hope  full  of  immortality ; 
— '  he  hath  set  my  foot  on  a  rock,  and  established 
my  goings,  and  hath  put  a  new  song  in  my  mouth, 
even  praises  to  my  God.'  It  is  the  beginning  of  a 
critical  year  to  me :  yet  I  feel  little  apprehension. 
The  same  grace  and  long  suffering,  the  same  wis- 
dom and  power,  that  have  brought  me  so  far,  will 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  45 

bring  me  on,  though  it  be  through  fire ,  and  water, 
to  a  goodly  heritage.  I  see  no  business  in  life  but  the 
work  of  Christ,  neither  do  I  desire  any  employment 
to  all  eternity  but  his  service.  I  am  a  sinner  saved 
by  grace.  Every  day's  experience  convinces  me 
of  this  truth.  My  daily  sins  and  constant  corrup- 
tion leave  me  no  hope,  but  that  which  is  founded 
on  God's  mercy  in  Christ.  His  spirit,  I  trust,  is 
imparted,  and  is  renewing  my  nature  ;  as  I  desire 
much,  though  I  have  attained  but  little.  Now  to 
God,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  would  I 
solemnly  renew  my  self-dedication,  to'  be  his  ser- 
vant for  ever." 

"  I  could  not  help  reflecting  on  the  almost  super- 
natural fervour  and  deep  devotion  whteh  came  upon 
me,  whilst  I  declared  that  I  had  rightfully  no  other 
business  each  day  but  to  do  God's  work  as  a  ser- 
vant, constantly  regarding  his  pleasure."  "  My 
thoughts  were  full  of  what  God  would  do  for  his 
own  glory,  in  the  conversion  of  multitudes  to  him- 
self in  the  latter  day.  I  did  not  wish  to  think 
about  myself  in  any  respect,  but  found  it  a  precious 
privilege  to  stand  by,  a  silent  admirer  of  God's 
doings." 

In  March  1805,  he  completed  the  time  required, 
before  he  could  be  sent  out  as  a  minister,  and  there 
was  nothing  more  to  detain  him  from  proceeding 
on  his  mission.  "  I  rejoice  to  say,"  (he  wrote  at 


46  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

this  time  to  his  sister,)  "that  I  never  had  so  clear 
a  conviction  of  my  call  as  at  present, — as  fat  as  it 
respects  the  inward  impression.  Never  did  I  see 
so  much  the  exceeding  excellency,  and  glory,  and 
sweetness  of  the  work,  nor  had  so  much  the  favour- 
able testimony  of  my  own  conscience,  nor  perceived 
so  plainly  the  smile  of  God.  I  am  constrained  to 
say, — what  am  I,  or  what  is  my  father's  house, 
that  I  should  be  made  willing ; — what  am  I,  that  1 
should  be  so  happy,  so  honoured?" — In  his  Journal, 
likewise,  he  expresses  himself  to  the  same  effect  : 
"  I  felt  more  persuaded  of  my  call  than  ever :  there 
was  scarcely  the  shadow  of  a  doubt  left; — rejoice. 
O  my  soul, — thou  shalt  be  the  servant  of  God  in 
this  life,  and  in  the  next,  for  all  the  boundless  ages 
of  eternity." 

In  April  he  went  to  London,  where  he  remained 
two  months,  principally  employed  in  learning  Hin- 
doostanee,  the  language  of  a  large  part  of  India, 
made  up  of  the  Sanscrit,  Persian,  and  Arabic. 
The  entries  of  his  diary  during  this  interval  will 
best  exhibit  the  state  of  his  heart,  in  anticipation 
of  his  employment. 

"  April  15th. — O  may  God  confirm  my  feeble 
resolutions  !  What  have  I  to  do  but  to  labour,  and 
pray,  and  fast,  and  watch,  for  the  salvation  of  my 
own  soul,  and  those  of  the  heathen  world.  Ten 
thousand  times  more  than  ever  do  I  feel  devoted  to 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTVN.  47 

that  precious  work.  O  gladly  shall  this  base  blood 
be  shed,  every  drop  of  it,  if  India  can  be  benefited  in 
one  of  her  children ; — if  but  one  of  those  children 
of  God  Almighty  might  be  brought  home  to  his 
duty." 

"  April  IG'A. — How  careful  should  I,  and  all  be, 
in  our  ministry,  not  to  break  the  bruised  reed !  Alas  ! 
do  1  think  that  a  schoolboy,  a  raw  academic,  should 
be  likely  to  lead  the  hearts  of  men  ? — what  a 
knowledge  of  men,  and  acquaintance  with  the 
Scriptures,  what  communion  with  God,  and  study 
of  my  own  heart,  ought  to  prepare  me  for  the  aw- 
ful work  of  a  messenger  from  God  on  the  business 
of  the  soul !" 

"  April  22d. — I  do  not  wish  for  any  heaven 
upon  earth  besides  that  of  preaching  the  precious 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  to  immortal  souls.  May 
these  weak  desires  increase  and  strengthen  with 
every  difficulty." 

"  April  27th. — My  constant  unprofitableness 
seemed  to  bar  my  approach  to  God.  But  I  con- 
sidered that  for  all  that  was  past,  the  blood  of 
Christ  would  atone ;  and  that  for  the  future,  God 
would  that  moment  give  me  grace  to  perform  my 
duty." 

"  May  9th. — O  my  soul,  when  wilt  thou  live 
consistently?  When  shall  I  walk  steadily  with 
God  ?  When  shall  I  hold  heaven  constantly  in 


48  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

view  ?  How  time  glides  away, — how  is  death  ap» 
preaching, — how  soon  must  I  give  up  my  account, 
• — how  are  souls  perishing, — how  does  their  blood 
call  out  to  us  to  labour  and  watch,  and  pray  for 
them  that  remain  !" 

"  June  1. — Memory  has  been  at  work  to  unnerve 
my  soul :  but  reason,  and  honour,  and  love  to  Christ 
and  souls  shall  prevail.  Amen.  God  help  me." 

"  June  2. — My  dear  Redeemer  is  a  fountain  of 
life  to  my  soul.  With  resignation  and  peace  can  I 
look  forward  to  a  life  of  labour  and  entire  seclusion 
from  earthly  comforts,  while  Jesus  thus  stands  near 
me,  changing  me  into  his  own  image." 

"  June  6th. — God's  interference  in  supporting 
me  continually,  appears  to  me  like  a  miracle." 

"  June  7th. — I  have  not  felt  such  heart-rending 

pain  since  I  parted  with  L in  Cornwall.  [The 

'lady  to  whom  he  was  attached.]  But  the  Lord 
brought  me  to  consider  the  folly  and  wickedness 
of  all  this.  I  could  not  help  saying, — Go,  Hindoos, 
go  on  in  your  misery, — let  Satan  still  reign  over 
you ;  for  he  that  was  appointed  to  labour  among 
you,  is  consulting  his  ease. — No,  thought  I,  earth 
and  hell  shall  never  keep  me  back  from  my  work. 
I  am  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed.  I  began  to  con- 
sider why  I  was  so  uneasy, — '  Cast  thy  care  upon 
him,  for  he  careth  for  you.'  '  In  every  thing  by 
prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanksgiving,  let  your 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  49 

requests  be  made  known  to  God ;' — these  promises 
"were  sweetly  fulfilled,  before  long,  to  me." 

"  July  4th* — Mr.  Cecil  showed  me  a  letter  in 
Swartz's  own  hand  writing.  Its  contents  were  of 
a  very  experimental  nature, — applicable  to  my  case. 
The  life  of  faith  in  Jesus  is  what  I  want.  My  soul 
might  almost  burst  with  astonishment  at  its  own 
wickedness  !  but  at  the  same  time,  trusting  to  mer- 
cy, rise  and  go,  and  try  to  make  men  happy.  The 
Lord  go  with  me  !  Let  my  right  hand  forget  her 
cunning,  if  I  remember  not  Jerusalem  above  my 
chief  joy." 

On  the  8th  of  July  1805,  Mr.  Martyn  proceeded 
to  Portsmouth,  from  which  place  he  was  to  sail  in  a 
ship  of  the  East  India  Company,  to  Calcutta,  there 
to  act  as  chaplain  of  the  Company.  His  feelings 
were  so  painful,  that  he  fainted  and  fell  into  a  fit 
at  a  tavern  on  the  road.  He  was  met  by  a  number 
of  friends  at  Portsmouth,  who  had  come  to  bid  him 
a  final  farewell,  for  this  life  ;  and  he  received  there 
a  silver  compass,  sent  by  his  congregation,  as  a 
u>ken  of  remembrance,  which  he  acknowledged  in 
the  following  letter : 

Portsmouth,  July  11,  1805. 

"  My  dearest  Brethren, — I  write  in  great  haste 
to  thank  you  most  affectionately  for  the  token  of 
your  love,  which  our  dear  brother  and  minister 
E 


50  LIFE  OF  HENRY   MARTYN. 

has  given  me  from  you.  O  may  my  God  richly 
recompense  you  for  your  great  affection !  May  he 
reward  your  prayers  for  me,  by  pouring  ten-fold 
blessings  into  your  own  bosoms  !  May  he  bless 
you  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus  ! 
At  the  command  of  God,  as  I  believe,  I  shall,  in  a 
few  hours,  embark  for  those  regions  where  your 
little  present  may  be  of  use  to  me,  in  guiding  my 
way  through  the  trackless  desert.  I  pray  that  the 
word  of  God,  which  is  your  compass,  may,  through 
the  Spirit,  direct  your  path  through  the  wilderness 
of  this  world,  and  bring  you  in  safety  to  the  better 
country  above.  I  beg  your  prayers,  and  assure 
you  of  mine.  Remember  me  sometimes  at  your 
social  meetings,  and  particularly  at  that  which  you 
hold  on  the  Sabbath  morning.  Pray  not  only  for 
'my  sinful  soul, — that  I  may  be  kept  faithful  unto 
death ; — but  especially,  for  the  souls  of  the  poor 
Heathen.  Whether  I  live  or  die,  let  Christ  be 
magnified  by  the  ingathering  of  multitudes  to  him- 
self. I  have  many  trials  awaiting  me,  and  so  have 
you ;  but  that  covenant  of  grace  in  which  we  are 
interested,  provides  for  the  weakest,  and  secures 
our  everlasting  welfare. — Farewell,  dear  Brethren  ! 
May  God  long  continue  to  you  the  invaluable  la- 
bours of  your  beloved  minister  ;  and  may  you,  with 
the  blessing  of  his  ministry,  grow,  day  by  day,  in 
all  spirituality  and  humility  of  mind ;  till  God,  in 


LIFE   OF  HEN7RY  MARTYN.  51 

nis  mercy,  shall  call  you,  each  in  his  own  time,  to 
the  eternal  enjoyment  of  his  glory." 

On  the  17th  July  the  ship  sailed,  in  company  with 
a  fleet,  taking  an  army  to  India.  "  It  was  a  very 
painful  moment,"  he  wrote  to  one  of  his  friends, 
"  when  I  awoke,  on  the  morning  after  you  left  us, 
and  found  the  fleet  actually  sailing  down  the  chan- 
nel. Though  it  was  what  I  had  anxiously  been 
looking  forward  to  so  long,  yet  the  consideration 
of  being  parted  for  ever  from  my  friends,  almost 
xvercame  me.  My  feelings  were  those  of  a  man 
who  should  suddenly  be  told,  that  every  friend  he 
had  in  the  world  was  dead.  It  was  only  by  prayer 
for  them  that  I  could  be  comforted ;  and  this  was 
indeed  a  refreshment  to  my  soul,  because  by  meet- 
ing them  at  the  throne  of  grace,  I  seemed  to  be 
again  in  their  society." 

The  vessel,  however,  unexpectedly  stopped  in 
two  days,  at  Falmouth,  an  English  port,  in  sight  of 
Cornwall.  It  was  a  renewal  of  the  pain  of  separa- 
tion to  be  thus  brought  again,  for  a  short  time,  upon 
the  shores  which  he  had  supposed  he  had  left  for 
>ver.  He  appears,  from  his  Journal,  to  have  suf- 
:'ered  great  struggles  with  his  earthly  affections : 
but  he  was  supported  by  Him  who  never  leaves 
his  disciples  to  contend  alone  with  the  trials  of 
their  faith. 

"  July  29th. — I  was  much  engaged,  at  intervals, 


52  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

in  learning  the  hymn,  '  The  God  of  Abraham 
praise ;'  as  often  as  I  could  use  the  language  of  it 
with  any  truth,  my  heart  was  a  little  at  ease. 

1  The  God  of  Abraham  praise, 

At  whose  supreme  command 
From  earth  I  rise,  and  seek  the  joys 

At  his  right  hand. 

*  I  all  on  earth  forsake, 

Its  wisdom,  fame,  and  power; 
And  him  my  only  portion  make, 

IVJy  shield  and  tower.' 

"  There  was  something  peculiarly  solemn  and 
affecting  to  me  in  this  hymn,  and  particularly  at 
this  time.  The  truth  of  the  sentiments  I  knew 
well  enough.  But  alas  !  I  felt  that  the  state  of 
mind  expressed  in  it  was  above  mine  at  the  time  ; 
and  I  felt  loth  to  forsake  all  on  earth." 

"  I  went  on  board  in  extreme  anguish,  and  found 
an  opportunity  in  the  sloop  by  which  I  passed  to 
the  ship,  to  cry,  with  brokunness  of  spirit,  to  the 
Lord.  The  words,  '  Why  sayest  thou,  0  Jacob, 
and  speakest,  O  Israel,  My  way  is  hid  from  the 
Lord,  and  my  judgment  is  passed  over  from  my 
God?'  were  brought  to  my  mind  with  such  force, 
that  I  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears,  and  felt  much  re- 
lieved in  my  soul,  by  the  thought  that  God  was 
thus  compassionate,  and  the  blessed  Lord  Jesus  a 
merciful  and  compassionate  High  Priest,  who  con- 
descended to  sympathize  with  me.  In  the  afternoon, 
it  pleased  God  to  give  me  a  holy  and  blessed  sea- 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  53 

son  in  prayer,  in  which  my  soul  recovered  much 
of  its  wonted  peace." 

Orders  for  the  sailing  of  the  fleet  with  which  his 
ship  was  connected,  were  given  on  the  10th  of  Au- 
gust, whilst  Martyn  was  twenty  miles  in  the  coun- 
try. An  express  was  sent  after  him ;  but  had  not 
an  accident  happened  to  the  ship  in  clearing  from 
the  harbour,  he  would  have  been  too  late.  On  the 
14th,  the  fleet  anchored  again  for  two  weeks,  at 
Cork,  in  Ireland.  He  had  suffered  much  from 
despondence  and  weakness  of  health,  and  speaks  in 
his  Journal  of  the  trials  of  his  lot  as  being  far  greater 
than  he  had  expected.  But  he  was  blessed  also 
with  spiritual  consolation,  -in  proportion  as  he  plac- 
ed his  confidence  on  Him  who  called  him  to  the 
service.  On  one  occasion  he  says, 

"  After  a  long  and  blessed  season  in  prayer,  I  felt 
the  spirit  of  adoption  drawing  me  very  near  to  God, 
and  giving  me  the  full  assurance  of  his  love.  My 
fervent  prayer  was,  that  I  might  be  more  deeply 
and  habitually  convinced  of  his  unchanging  ever- 
lasting love,  and  that  my  whole  soul  might  be  alto- 
gether in  Christ.  I  scarcely  knew  how  to  express 
the  desires  of  my  heart.  I  wanted  to  be  all  in 
Christ,  and  to  have  Christ  for  my  '  all  in  all ;' — 1& 
be  encircled  in  his  ^everlasting  arms,  and  to  be 
swallowed  up  altogether  in  his  fulness.  *  I  wished 
for  no  created  good,  nor  for  men  to  know  my  ex 


54  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

perience :  but  to  be  one  with  thee,  and  live  for 
thee,  0  God,  my  Saviour  and  Lord.  0  may  it  be 
my  constant  care  to  live  free  from  the  spirit  of  bon- 
dage, ut  all  times  having  access  to  the  Father.  This 
I  feel  should  be  the  state  of  the  Christian :  perfect 
reconciliation  with  God,  and  a  perfect  appropriation 
of  him  in  all  his  endearing  attributes,  according  to 
all  that  he  has  promised :  it  is  this  that  shall  bear 
me  safely  through  the  storm." 

And  some  weeks  afterwards  : 

"  Sept.  23. — We  are  just  to  the  south  of  all  Eu- 
rope, and  I  bid  adieu  to  it  for  ever,  without  *a  wish 
of  ever  revisiting  it,  and  still  less  with  any  desire 
of  taking  up  my  rest  in  the  strange  land  to  which 
I  am  going.  Ah  !  no, — farewell,  perishing  world  ! 
4  To  me,  to  live  shall  be  Christ.'  I  have  nothing 
to'  do  here,  but  to  labour  as  a  stranger,  and  by  secret 
prayer  and  outward  exertion,  do  as  much  as  possi- 
ble for  the  church  of  Christ  and  my  own  soul,  till 
my  eyes  close  in  death,  and  my  soul  wings  its  way 
to  a  brighter  world.  Strengthen  me,  O  God  my  Sa- 
viour !  that,  whether  living  or  dying,  I  may  be  thine." 

He  preached  once  every  Sunday  on  board  the 
ship,  the  captain  not  permitting  it  more  frequently. 
To  make  up  for  this  loss,  he  almost  daily  read  re- 
ligious books,  with  remarks  of  his  own,  to  as  many 
as  would  assemble  to  hear  him ;  but  he  could  gain 
the  serious  attention  of  very  few. 


LIFE   OF  HENfcY  MARTYN.  55 

"  Sept.  1  Oth. — Endeavoured  to  consider  what 
should  be  my  study  and  preparation  for  the  mis- 
sion ;  but  could  devise  no  particular  plan,  but  to 
search  the  Scriptures,  what  are  God's  promises 
respecting  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the 
means  by  which  it  shall  be  accomplished.  Long 
seasons  of  prayer  in  behalf  of  the  heathen,  I  am 
sure,  are  necessary ;  Isaiah  Ixii.  I  began  Isaiah, 
and  learnt  by  heart  the  promises  scattered  through 
the  first  twelve  chapters,  hoping  it  may  prove  pro- 
fitable matter  for  meditation  as  well  as  prayer. 
Read  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  below,  amidst  the 
greatest  noise  and  interruption.  Notwithstanding 
the  clamour,  I  felt  as  if  I  could  preach  to  a  million 
of  noisy  persons  with  unconquerable  boldness.  We 
have  been  becalmed  the  whole  day.  I  fear  my  soul 
has  been  much  in  the  same  state  :  but  I  would  not 
that  it  should  be  so  any  longer." 

"Sept.  15^.— -Sunday.— 'He  that testifieth these 
things,  saith,  behold — I  come  quickly — Amen — 
even  so — come  quickly,  Lord  Jesus  !'  Happy 
John !  though  shut  out  from  society  and  the  ordi- 
nances of  grace  :  happy  wast  thou  in  thy  solitude, 
when  by  it  thou  wast  induced  thus  gladly  to  wel- 
come the  Lord's  words,  and  repeat  them  with  a 
prayer.  Read  and  preached  on  Acts  xiii.  38,  39 
In  the  latter  part,  when  I  was  led  to  speak,  without 
preparation,  on  the  all-sufficiency  of  Christ  to  save 


56  LIFE   OF   HlfsRY  MARTYX. 

sinners,  who  come  to  him  with  all  their  sins  with- 
out delay,  I  was  enabled  by  divine  aid,  to  speak 
with  freedom  and  energy :  my  soul  was  refreshed, 
and  I  retired,  seeing  reason  to  be  thankful.  The 
weather  was  fair  and, calm,  inviting  the  mind  to 
tranquillity  and  praise  :  the  ship  just  moved  upon 
the  face  of  the  troubled  ocean.  I  went  below  in 
hopes  of  reading  Baxter's  Call  to  the  Unconverted : 
but  {here  was  no  getting  down,  as  they  were  taking 
out  water :  so  I  sat  with  the  seamen  on  the  gun- 
deck.  As  I  walked  in  the  evening  at  sunset,  I 
thought  with  pleasure,  but  a  few  more  suns,  and  I 
shall  be  where  my  sun  shall  no  more  go  down." 

"  Sept.  16th. — Two  things  were  much  in  my 
mind  this  morning  in  prayer ;  the  necessity  of  en- 
tering more  deeply  into  my  own  heart,  and  labour- 
ing after  humiliation,  and,  for  that  reason,  setting 
apart  times  for  fasting  :  as  also  to  devote  times  for 
solemn  prayer  for  fitness  in  the  ministry  ;  especial- 
ly love  for  souls  ;  and  for  the  effusion  of  the  Spirit 
on  heathen  lands  ;  according  to  God's  command." 

The  study  of  the  Hindoostanee  language  was  part 
of  his  employment  during  the  voyage.  He  also 
instructed  some  of  the  young  soldiers  in  mathe- 
matics, and  read  French  with  a  passenger.  As  they 
entered  the  warm  latitudes,  he  found  his  strength 
diminishing  very  fast,  and  he  began  to  fear  he  could 
never  be  useful,  as  a  preacher,  in  India.  "But 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  57 

what  means  this  anxiety?"  he  said  ;  "  Is  it  not  of 
God  that  I  am  led  into  outward  difficulties,  that  my 
faith  may  be  tried?  Suppose," (addressing  himself,) 
"  you  are  obliged  to  return,  or  that  you  never  see 
India,  but  wither  and  die  here,  what  is  that  to  you  ? 
Do  the  will  of  God  where  you  can,  and  leave  the 
rest  to  him." — About  this  time  he  was  much  im- 
pressed with  this  sentence  in  Milner's  Church  His- 
tory ; — "to  believe,  to  suffer,  and  to  love,  was  the 
primitive  taste  ;"  and  he  received  great  encourage- 
ment by  being  thus  led  to  contemplate  the  examples 
of  those  who  had  been  more  bold  in  serving  Christ. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  fleet  touched  at  several  ports  on  their  way. 
Some  portions  of  his  Journal  at  St.  Salvador,  in 
South  America,  will  give  an  interesting  variety  to 
our  pages. 

"  I  continued  my  walk  in  quest  of  a  wood,  or 
some  trees  where  I  might  sit  down ;  but  all  was 
appropriated  :  no  tree  was  to  be  approached  except 
through  an  enclosure.  At  last  I  came  to  a  magnifi- 
cent porch,  before  a  garden  gate,  which  was  open , 
I  walked  in,  but  finding  the  vista  led  straight  to  the 
house,  I  turned  to  the  right,  and  found  myself  in  a 


58  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYX. 

grove  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  orange  trees,  and  several 
strange  fruit  trees ;  under  them  was  nothing  but 
rose  trees,  but  no  verdure  on  the  ground :  oranges 
were  strewed  like  apples  in  an  orchard.  Perceiv- 
ing that  I  was  observed  by  the  slaves,  I  came  up 
to  the  house,  and  was  directed  oy  them  to  an  old 
man  sitting  under  a  tree,  apparently  insensible  from 
illness.  I  spoke  to  him  in  French  and  in  English, 
but  he  took  no  notice.  Presently  a  young  man 
and  a  young  lady  appeared,  to  whom  I  spoke  in 
French,  and  was  very  politely  desired  to  sit  down 
at  a  little  table,  which  was  standing  under  a  large 
space  before  the  house  like  a  veranda.  They 
then  brought  me  oranges,  and  a  small  red  acid 
fruit,  the  name  of  which  I  asked,  but  cannot  recol- 
lect. The  young  man  sat  opposite,  conversing 
abotft  Cambridge  ;  he  had  been  educated  in  a  Por- 
tuguese University.  Almost  immediately  on  find- 
ing I  was  of  Cambridge,  he  invited  me  to  come 
when  I  liked  to  his  house.  A  slave,  after  bringing 
the  fruit,  was  sent  to  gather  three  roses  for  me ; 
the  master  then  walked  with  me  round  the  garden, 
and  showed  me,  among  the  rest,  the  coffee-plant : 
when  I  left  him  he  repeated  his  invitation.  His 
name  was  Antonio  Corre." 

"  Nov.  I4lh. — Sennor  Antonio  received  me  with 
the  same  cordiality :  he  begged  me  to  dine  with 
him.  In  the  cool  of  the  evening,  we  walked  out 


LIFE  01?  HENRY  BtAHTYN.  59 

to  see  his  pla,ntation ;  here  every  thing  possessed 
the  charm  of  novelty.  The  grounds  included  two 
hills,  and  a  valley  between  them.  The  hills  were 
covered  with  cocoa-nut  trees,  bananas,  mangoes, 
orange  and  lemon  trees,  olives,  coffee,  chocolate, 
and  cotton  plants,  &c.  In  the  valley  was  a  large 
plantation  of  a  shrub  or  tree,  bearing  a  cluster  of 
small  berries,  which  he  desired  me  to  taste  ;  I  did, 
and  found  it  was  pepper.  It  had  lately  been  in- 
troduced from  Batavia,  and  answered  very  well. 
It  grows  on  a  stem  about  the  thickness  of  a  finger, 
to  the  height  of  about  seven  feet,  and  is  supported 
by  a  stick,  which,  at  that  height,  has  another  across 
«••  for  the  branches  to  spread  upon.  Slaves  were 
walking  about  the  grounds,  watering  the  trees,  and 
turning  up  the  earth  :  the  soil  appeared  very  dry 
and  loose.  At  night  I  returned  to  the  ship  in 
one  of  the  country  boats,  which  are  canoes  made 
of  a  tree  hollowed  out,  and  paddled  by  three 
men." 

"Nov.  18th.™ Went  ashore  at  six  o'clock,  and 
found  that  Sennor  Antonio  had  been  waiting  for  me 
two  hours.  It  being  too  late  to  go  into  the  country, 
I  staid  at  his  house  till  dinner.  He  kept  me  too 
much  in  his  company,  but  1  found  intervals  for  re- 
tirement. In  a  cool  and  shady  part  of  the  gar- 
den, near  some  water,  I  sat  and  sang — '  O'er  the 
gloomy  hills  of  darkness.'  I  could  read  and  pray 


60  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

aloud,  as  there  was  no  fear  of  any  one  understand 
ing  me. 

"  A  slave,  in  my  bed-room,  washed  my  feet.  1 
was  struck  with  the  degree  of  abasement  expressed 
in  the  act,,  and  as  he  held  the  foot  in  the  towel, 
with  his  head  bowed  down  towards  it,  I  remember- 
ed the  condescension  of  the  blessed  Lord.  May  I 
have  grace  to  follow  such  humility !" 

"  Nov.  19//Z.— Early  after  breakfast  went  in  a 
palanquin  to  Sennor  Dominigo's,  and  from  thence 
with  him  two  or  three  miles  into  the  country :  at 
intervals  I  got  out  and  walked.  I  was  gratified 
with  the  sight  of  what  I  wanted  to  see ;  namely, 
some  part  of  the  country  in  its  original  state,  cov- 
ered with  wood ;  it  was  hilly,  but  not  mountainous 
The  luxuriance  was  so  rank,  that  the  whole  space, 
even  to  the  tops  of  the  trees,  was  rilled  with  long 
stringy  shrubs  and  weeds,  so  as  to  make  them  im- 
pervious and  opaque.  The  road  was  made  by  cut- 
ting away  the  earth  on  the  side  of  the  hill,  so  that 
there  were  woods  above  and  below  us.  The  object 
of  our  walk  was  to  see  a  pepper  plantation,  made 
in  a  valley,-  on  a  perfect  level.  The  symmetry  of 
the  trees  was  what  charmed  my  Portuguese  friend  ; 
but  to  me,  who  was  seeking  the  wild  features  of 
America,  it  was  just  what  I  did  not  want.  The 
person  who  showed  us  the  grounds,  was  one  that 
had  been  a  major  in  the  Portuguese  army,  and  had 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  61 

retired  on  a  pension.  The  border  consisted  of 
pine  apples,  planted  between  each  tree ;  the  inte* 
rior  was  set  with  lemon  trees,  here  and  there,  be- 
tween the  pepper  plants.  We  were  shown  the  root 
of  the  mandioc,  called  by  us  tapioca ;  it  was  like  a 
large  horse  radish ;  the  mill  for  grinding  it  was 
extremely  simple ;  a  horizontal  wheel,  turned  by 
horses,  put  in  motion  a  vertical  one,  on  the  circum- 
ference of  which  was  a  thin  brazen  plate,  furnish- 
ed on  the  inside  like  a  nutmeg  grater ;  a  slave  held 
the  root  to  the  wheel,  which  grated  it  away,  and 
threw  it  in  the  form  of  a  moist  paste,  into  a  recep- 
tacle below :  it  is  then  dried  in  pans,  and  used  as 
a  farina  with  meat.  At  Sennor  Antonio's,  a  plate 
of  tapioca  was  attached  to  each  of  our  plates.  Some 
of  the  pepper  was  nearly  ripe,  and  of  a  reddish  ap- 
pearance ;  when  gathered,  which  it  is  in  April,  it 
is  dried  in  the  sun." 

"  Nov.  23. — In  the  afternoon  took  leave  of  my 
kind  friends  Sennor  and  Sennor  a  Corre.  They  and 
the  rest  came  out  to  the  garden  gate,  and  continued 
looking,  till  the  winding  of  the  road  hid  me  from 
their  sight.  The  poor  slave  Raymond,  who  had 
attended  me  and  carried  my  things,  burst  into  a 
flood  of  tears,  as  we  left  the  door ;  and  when  I 
parted  from  him,  he  was  going  to  kiss  my  feet ; 
but  I  shook  hands  with  him,  much  affected  by  such 
extraordinary  kindness,  in  people  to  whom  I  had 
F 


62  me  OF  HENRY 

been  a  total  stranger,  till  within  a  few  days* 
What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  his 
mercies  ?" 

It  had  lately  been  announced  to  the  army  which 
was  carried  in  the  fleet,  that  they  were  to  be  led  to 
attack  the  cape  of  Good  Hope,  then  held  by  the 
Dutch.  This  intelligence,  which  had  been  kept 
secret,  until  they  were  approaching  the  cape,  ex- 
cited Mr,  Martyn  to  be  more  active  in  the  service 
of  these  men,  who  were  soon  to  be  exposed  to  the 
dangers  of  warfare,  and  many  of  whom  would,  pro* 
bably,  be  sent  to  eternity.  He  observed  a  day  of 
fasting  and  prayer  in  their  behalf,  addressed  them 
from  the  scriptures  whenever  he  had  opportunity, 
and  several  were  induced  to  kneel  publicly  in 
prayer  with  him,  notwithstanding  the  ridicule  and 
carelessness  of  the  greater  part  of  the  crew  and 
soldiers.  During  a  season  of  great  sickness  on 
board  his  ship,  at  which  time  the  captain  died,  he 
was  very  useful  in  attending  to  the  wants  of  the 
sick,  and  leading  their  minds  to  consider  the  neces- 
sity of  preparation  for  eternity.  On  the  last  Sunday 
of  this  year  he  preached  a  sermon,  adapted  to  their 
circumstances,  from  2  Pet,  iii,  11.  "Seeing  then 
that  all  these  things  shall  be  dissolved,  what  man- 
ner of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy  conversa- 
tion and  godliness :"  in  which  he  endeavoured  to 
impress  his  hearers  with  a  sense  of  the  importance 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  63 

of  religion,  reminding  them  of  the  ways  by  which 
Providence  had  been  calling  them  to  reflection,  by 
the  prevalence  of  disease,  the  death  of  their  captain, 
the  dangers  of  the  voyage,  and  the  prospect  of  being 
engaged  in  battle.  His  own  mind  enjoyed  great 
peace  at  this  time,  as  is  evident  from  his  diary. 

"  Separated  from  my  friends  and  country  for 
ever,  there  is  nothing  to  distract  me  from  hearing 
4  the  voice  of  my  beloved,'  and  coming  away  from 
this  world,  -and  walking  with  him  in  love,  amidst 
the  flowers  that  perfume  the  air  of  paradise,  and 
the  harmony  of  the  happy,  happy  saints  who  are 
singing  his  praise.  Thus  hath  the  Lord  brought 
me  to  the  conclusion  of  the  year ;  and  though  I  have 
broken  his  statutes,  and  not  kept  his  command- 
ments, yet  he  hath  not  utterly  taken  away  his 
loving  kindness,  nor  suffered  his  truth  to  fail.  I 
thought,  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  that  I  should 
have  been  in  India  at  this  time,  if  I  should  have 
escaped  all  the  dangers  of  the  climate.  These 
dangers  are  yet  to  come  ;  but  I  cm  leave  all  cheer- 
fully to  God.  If  I  am  weary  of  any  thing,  it  is  of 
my  life  of  sinfulness.  I  want  a  life  of  more  devo- 
tion and  holiness  ;  and  yet  am  so  vain,  as  to  be  ex- 
pecting the  end  without  the  means.  I  am  fat 
from  regretting  that  I  ever  came  on  this  delightful 
work ;  were  I  to  choose  for  myself,  I  could  scarce- 
ly find  a  situation  more  agreeable  to  my  taste.  On, 


64  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

therefore,  let  me  go,  and  persevere  steadily  in  this 
blessed  undertaking :  through  the  grace  of  God, 
dying  daily  to  the  opinions  of  men,  and  aiming, 
with  a  more  single  eye,  at  the  glory  of  the  ever- 
lasting God." 

On  the  third  of  January  1806,  the  fleet  anchored 
it  the  cape,  and  the  army  was  landed,  and  led  to 
he  attack,  which  commenced  early  the  next  morn- 
ng.  As  soon  as  the  battle  was  over,  Mr.  Martyn 
went  on  shore,  in  hopes  of  being  useful  to  the  suf 
"erers.  His  own  account  of  the  scene,  in  a  letter 
to  a  friend  in  England,  gives  a  terrible  picture  of  a 
field  of  battle. 

"  I  embraced  the  opportunity  of  getting  to  the 
wounded  men,  soon  after  my  landing.  A  party  of 
the  company's  troops  were  ordered  to  repair  to  the 
field  of  battle,  to  bring  away  the  wounded,  under 

the  command  of  Major ,  whom  I  knew.     By 

his  permission,.  I  attached  myself  to  them,  and 
inarched  six  miles  over  a  soft  burning  sand,  till  we 
reached  the  fatal  spot.  We  found  several  but 
slightly  hurt ;  and  these  we  left  for  a  while,  after 
seeing  their  wounds  dressed  by  a  surgeon.  A  lit- 
tle onward  were  three  mortally  wounded.  One  of 
them,  on  being  asked  where  he  was  struck,  opened 
his  shirt  and  showed  a  wound  in  his  left  breast. 
The  blood  which  he  was  spitting,  showed  that  he 
had  been  shot  through  the  lungs.  As  I  spread  my 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  65 

great  coat  over  him,  by  the  surgeon's  desire,  who 
passed  on  without  attempting  to  save  him,  I  spoke 
of  the  blessed  gospel,  and  besought  him  to  look  to 
Jesus  Christ  for  salvation.  He  was  surprised,  but 
could  not  speak  ;  and  I  was  obliged  to  leave  him, 
in  order  to  reach  the  troops,  from  whom  the  of- 
ficers, out  of  regard  to  my  safety,  would  not  allow 
me  to  be  separated.  Among  several  others,  some 

wounded,  and  some  dead,  was  Captain ;  who 

was  shot  by  a  rifleman.  We  all  stopped  for  a 
while,  to  gaze,  in  pensive  silence,  on  his  pale  body, 
and  then  passed  on,  to  witness  more  proofs  of  the 
sin  and  misery  of  fallen  man.  Descending  into 
the  plain,  where  the  main  body  of  each  army  had 
met,  I  saw  some  of  the  fifty-ninth,  one  of  whom,  a 
corporal,  who  sometimes  had  sung  with  us,  told 
me  that  none  of  the  fifty-ninth  were  killed,  and 
none  of  the  officers  wounded.  Some  farm-houses, 
which  had  been  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy's  army, 
had  been  converted  into  an  hospital  for  the  wound- 
ed, whom  they  were  bringing  from  all  quarters. 
The  surgeon  told  me  that  there  were  already  in  the 
houses  two  hundred,  some  of  whom  were  Dutch. 
A  more  ghastly  spectacle  than  that  which  present- 
ed itself  here,  I  could  not  have  conceived.  They 
were  ranged  without  and  within  the  house,  in  rows, 
covered  with  gore.  Indeed,  it  was  the  blood,  which 
they  had  not  had  time  to  wash  off,  that  made  their 

F2 


66  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYX. 

appearance  more  dreadful  than  the  reality  :  for  few 
of  their  wounds  were  mortal.  The  confusion  was 
very  great :  and  sentries  and  officers  were  so  strict 
in  their  duty,  that  I  had  no  fit  opportunity  of  speak- 
ing to  any  of  them,  except  a  Dutch  captain,  with 
whom  I  conversed  in  French.  After  this,  I  walked 
out  again  with  the  surgeon  to  the  field,  and  saw 
several  of  the  enemy's  wounded.  A  Hottentot, 
who  had  had  his  thigh  broken  by  a  ball,  was  lying 
in  extreme  agony,  biting  the  dust,  and  uttering  hor- 
rid imprecations  upon  the  Dutch.  I  told  him  that 
he  ought  to  pray  for  his  enemies  ;  and  after  telling 
the  poor  wretched  man  of  the  gospel,  I  begged  him 
to  pray  to  Jesus  Christ.  But  our  conversation  was 
soon  interrupted ;  for,  in  the  absence  of  the  sur- 
geon, who  was  gone  back  for  his  instruments,  a 
highland  soldier  came  up,  and  challenged  me  with 
the  words,  'Who  are  you?'  'An  Englishman/ 
'  No,'  said  he,  '  you  are  French,'  and  began  to  pre 
sent  his  piece.  As  I  saw  that  he  was  rather  in 
toxicated,  and  did  not  know  but  that  he  might  ac- 
tually fire,  out  of  mere  wantonness,  I  sprang  up 
towards  him,  and  told  him,  that  if  he  doubted  my 
word,  he  might  take  me  as  his  prisoner  to  the 
English  camp, — but  that  I  certainly  was  an  Eng- 
lish clergyman.  This  pacified  him,  and  he  behaved 
with  great  respect.  The  surgeon,  on  examining 
the  wound,  said  the  man  must  die,  and  so  left  him. 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  67 

At  length,  I  found  an  opportunity  of  returning,  as 
I  much  wished,  in  order  to  recover  from  distraction 
of  mind,  and  to  give  free  scope  to  reflection.  I  lay 
down  on  the  border  of  a  clump  of  shrubs  or  bushes, 
with  the  field  of  battle  in  view,  and  there  lifted  up 
my  soul  to  God.  Mournful  as  the  scene  was,  I 
yet  thanked  God  that  he  had  brought  me  to  see  a 
specimen,  though  a  terrible  one,  of  what  men  by 
nature  are.  May  the  remembrance  of  this  clay  ever 
excite  me  to  pray  and  labour  more  for  the  propa- 
gation of  the  gospel  of  peace.  Then  shall  men  love 
one  another  :  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against 
nation,  neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more. 
The  blue  mountains,  to  the  eastward,  which  form- 
ed the  boundary  of  the  prospect,  were  a  cheering 
contrast  to  what  was  immediately  before  me  ;  for 
there  I  conceived  my  beloved  and  honoured  fellow 
servants,*  companions  in  the  kingdom  and  patience 
of  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  passing  the  days  of  their 
pilgrimage,  far  from  the  world,  imparting  the  truths 
of  the  precious  gospel  to  benighted  souls.  May  I 
receive  grace  to  be  a  follower  of  their  faith  and  pa- 
tience ;  and  do  you  pray,  my  brother,  as  I  know 
that  you  do,  that  I  may  have  a  heart  more  warm, 
and  a  zeal  more  ardent  in  this  glorious  cause." 

*  The  Moravian  missionaries  at  Gromekloof  and  Gnadenthal, 
and  those  belonging  to  the  London  Missionary  Society  at 
Bethelsdorp. 


68  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

On  the  tenth,  the  fort  and  town  were  taken  from 
the  Dutch.  Whilst  the  fleet  was  delayed,  Martyn 
visited  Dr.  Vanderkemp,  and  the  other  missionaries 
at  the  cape,  and  his  meeting  with  them  was  a 
source  of  great  joy. 

"  From  the  first  moment  I  arrived,  I  had  been 
anxiously  inquiring  about  Dr.  Vanderkemp.  I 
heard  at  last,  to  my  no  small  delight,  that  he  was 
now  in  Cape  Town.  But  it  was  long  before  I 
could  find  him.  At  length  I  did.  He  was  standing 
outside  of  the  house,  silently  looking  up  at  the 
stars.  A  great  number  of  black  people  were  sitting 
around.  On  my  introducing  myself,  he  led  me  in, 
and  called  for  Mr.  Read.  I  was  beyond  measure 
delighted  at  the  happiness  of  seeing  him  too.  The 
circumstance  of  meeting  with  these  beloved  and 
highly  honoured  brethren,  so  filled  me  with  joy 
and  gratitude  for  the  goodness  of  God's  providence, 
that  I  hardly  knew  what  to  do." 

"January  14th. — Continued  walking  with  Mr. 
Read  till  late.  He  gave  me  a  variety  of  curious 
information  respecting  the  mission.  He  told  me 
of  his  marvellous  success  amongst  the  heathen ; 
how  he  had  heard  them  amongst  the  bushes  pouring 
out  their  hearts  to  God.  At  all  this  my  '  soul  did 
magnify  the  Lord,  and  my  spirit  rejoiced  in  God 
my  Saviour.'  Now  that  I  am  in  a  land  where  the 
Spirit  of  God  appears,  as  in  the  ancient  clays,  as 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  69 

in  ihe  generation  of  old,  let  a  double  portion  of  that 
Spirit  rest  upon  this  unworthy  head,  that  I  may  go 
forth  to  my  work  «  rejoicing  like  a  strong  man,  to 
run  my  race.'  ' 

"  January  20th. — Walking  home,  I  asked  Dr. 
Yanderkemp  if  he  had  ever  repented  of  his  under- 
taking, No,  said  the  old  man,  smiling,  and  I 
would  not  exchange  my  work  for  a  kingdom. 
Read  told  me  some  of  his  trials  ;  he  has  often  been 
so  reduced,  for  want  of  clothes,  as  scarcely  to  have 
any  to  cover  him.  The  reasonings  of  his  mind 
were, — I  am  here,  Lord,  in  thy  service ;  why  am 
I  left  in  this  state  ?  It  seemed  to  be  suggested  to 
him,  If  thou  wilt  be  my  servant,  be  contented  to 
fare  in  this  way  ;  if  not,  go,  and  fare  better.  His 
mind  was  thus  satisfied  to  remain  God's  mission- 
ary, with  all  its  concomitant  hardships.  At  night, 
my  sinful  soul  .enjoyed  a  most  reviving  season  in 
prayer  ;  I  rejoiced  greatly  in  the  Lord,  and  pl6ad- 
ed  with  fervour  for  the  interests  of  his  church." 

"  January  Wth. — Rose  at  five,  and  began  to  as- 
cend Table  mountain  at  six,  with  S and 

M ;  I  went  on  chiefly  alone.  I  thought  of 

the  Christian  life, — what  uphill  work  it  is, — and 
yet  there  are  streams  flowing  down  from  the  top, 
just  as  there  was  water  coming  down  by  the  Kloof, 
by  which  we  ascended.  Towards  the  top  it  was 
very  steep,  but  the  hope  of  being  soon  at  the  sum- 


70  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

mit,  encouraged  me  to  ascend  very  lightly.  As  the 
kloof  opened,  a  beautiful  flame-coloured  flower  ap- 
peared in  a  little  green  hollow,  waving  in  the 
breeze.  It  seemed  to  be  an  emblem  of  the  beauty 
and  peacefulness  of  heaven,  as  it  shall  open  upon 
the  weary  soul,  when  its  journey  is  finished,  and 
the  struggles  of  the  death-bed  are  over.  We  walk- 
ed up  and  down  the  whole  length,  which  might  be 
between  two  and  three  miles,  and  one  might  be 
said  to  look  round  the  world  from  this  promontory. 
I  felt  a  solemn  awe  at  the  grand  prospect,  from 
which  there  was  neither  noise  nor  small  objects  to 
draw  off  my  attention.  I  reflected,  especially  when 
looking  at  the  immense  expanse  of  sea  on  the  east, 
which  was  to  carry  me  to  India,  on  the  certainty 
that  the  name  of  Christ  should,  at  some  period,  re- 
sound from  shore  to  shore.  I  felt  commanded  to 
wait  in  silence,  and  see  how  God  would  bring  his 
promises  to  pass.  We  began  to  descend  at  half 
past  two.  Whilst  sitting  to  rest  myself,  towards 
night,  I  began  to  reflect,  with  death-like  despon- 
dency, on  my  friendless  condition.  Not  that  I 
wanted  any  of  the  comforts  of  life,  but  I  wanted 
those  kind  friends  who  loved  me,  and  in  whose 
company  I  used  to  find  so  much  delight  after  my 
fatigues.  And  then,  remembering  that  I  should 
never  see  them  more,  I  felt  one  of  those  keen 
pangs  of  misery,  that  occasionally  shoot  across  my 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  71 

breast.  It  seemed  like  a  dream,  that  I  had  actually 
undergone  banishment  from  them  for  life  ;  or  rath- 
er like  a  dream,  that  I  had  ever  hoped  to  share 
the  enjoyments  of  social  life.  But,  at  this  time,  I 
solemnly  renewed  my  self-dedication  to  God,  pray- 
ing that  I  might  receive  grace  to  spend  my  days 
for  his  service,  in  continued  suffering,  and  separa- 
tion from  all  I  held  most  dear  in  this  life  :  Amen 
How  vain  and  transitory  are  those  pleasures  which 
the  worldliness  of  my  heart  will  ever  be  magnifying 
into  real  good ! — The  rest  of  the  evening,  I  felt 
\veaned  from  the  world  and  all  its  concerns,  with 
somewhat  of  a  melancholy  tranquillity." 

"  January  31. — From  great  fatigue  of  body,  was 
in  doubt  about  going  to  the  hospital,  and  very  un- 
willing to  go.  However,  I  went,  and  preached 
with  more  freedom  than  ever  I  had  done  there. 

Having  some  conversation  with  Colonel  H ,  I 

asked  him  whether,  if  the  wound  he  had  received 
in  the  late  engagement  had  been  mortal,  his  pro- 
faneness  would  have  recurred  with  any  pleasure  to 
his  mind  on  a  death-bed.  He  made  some  attempts 
at  palliation,  though  in  great  confusion ;  but  bore 
the  admonition  very  patiently." 

"  February  5th. — Rose  early ;  walked  out,  dis- 
couraged at  the  small  progress  I  make  in  the  eastern 
\anguages.  My  state  of  bodily  and  mental  indo- 
icnce  was  becoming  so  alarming,  that  I  struggled 


72  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

hard  against  both,  crying  to  God  for  strength.  Not- 
withstanding the  reluctance  in  my  own  heart,  I 
went  to  the  hospital,  and  preached  on  Matt.  xi.  28  ; 
from  this  time  I  enjoyed  peace  and  happiness. 
Dr.  Vanderkemp  called  to  take  leave.  I  accom- 
panied him  and  brother  Smith  out  of  the  town, 
with  their  two  wagons.  The  dear  old  man  showed 
much  affection,  and  gave  me  advice,  and  a  blessing 
at  parting.  While  we  were  standing  to  take  leave, 
Koster,  a  Dutch  missionary,  was  just  entering  the 
town  with  his  bundle,  having  been  driven  from  his 
place  of  residence.  Brother  Read,  also,  appeared 
from  another  quarter,  though  we  thought  he  had 
gone  to  sea.  These,  with  Yons,*  and  myself, 
made  six  missionaries,  who,  in  a  few  minutes,  all 
parted  again." 

Besides  visiting  and  preaching  at  the  hospital, 
among  the  wounded  English,  he  held  public  ser- 
vice at  the  house  in  which  he  lodged.  In  February 
the  fleet  again  sailed :  on  the  22d  of  April  anchored 
before  Madras,  and  in  the  middle  of  May,  he  land- 
ed at  Calcutta. 

*  Probably  the  missionary  destined  for  Madagascar. 


LIFE   OF  HENRY   MARTYN.  73 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MARTYN  was  much  dejected,  in  contemplating 
the  vast  multitude  of  idolaters  amongst  whom  he 
was  now  placed. 

"  Every  thing  presented  the  appearance  of  wretch- 
edness. I  thought  of  my  future  labours  among 
them  with  some  despondency ;  yet  I  am  willing,  I 
trust,  through  grace,  to  pass  my  days  among  them, 
if  by  any  means  these  poor  people  may  be  brought 
to  God.  -  The  sight  of  men,  women,  and  children , 
all  idolaters,  makes  me  shudder,  as  if  in  the  do- 
minions of  the  prince  of  darkness.  I  fancy  the 
frown  of  God  is  visible  ; — there  is  something  pe- 
culiarly awful  in  the  stillness  that  prevails.  Whe- 
ther it  is  the  relaxing  influence  of  the  climate,  or 
what,  I  do  not  know ;  but  there  is  every  thing 
here  to  depress  the  spirits — all  nature  droops." 

Whilst  he  almost  despaired  of  the  possibility  of 
ever  accomplishing  any  good  himself,  he  rejoiced 
in  the  promises  and  prophecies  which  make  it  sure, 
that  at  some  day,  the  true  God  shall  be  worshipped 
there,  and  in  every  other  place  ;  and  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  be  proclaimed  to  4  every  nation  under 
heaven.'  He  was  animated  by  the  thought,  that  even 
should  he  never  see  a  native  converted,  yet  it  might 
be  God's  design  to  encourage  future  missionaries, 
G 


74  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYX. 

by  giving  them  his  example  of  patience  and  con- 
tinuance in  the  work.  He  took  up  his  residence 
at  Aldeen,  near  Calcutta,  in  the  house  of  an  English 
clergyman ;  where,  after  recovering  from  a  dan- 
gerous attack  of  fever,  he  experienced  great  en- 
joyment in  the  company  of  several  Christians, 
missionaries  and  others,  established  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. Strong  persuasions  were  used  to  induce 
him  to  remain  in  Calcutta,  but  that  city  was  sup- 
plied in  some  measure  with  the  gospel,  and  it  was 
his  intention  to  devote  himself  to  more  remote  hea- 
thens. The  celebrated  Dr.  Buchanan  had  left 
Calcutta  on  a  journey  to  Syria,  at  the  very  time 
of  Martyn's  arrival,  and  too  soon  to  know  that 
God  had  thus  answered  the  prayers  which  he  and 
his  brethren  had  been  for  some  time  addressing  to 
heaven,  for  the  sending  of  more  missionaries  to 
India. 

On  the  fifteenth  of  October,  Mr.  Martyn  left 
Aldeen  and  Calcutta  for  Dinapore,  a  town  on  the 
Ganges,  more  than  three  hundred  miles  distant. 
He  went  in  a  boat  called  a  budgerow,  with  a  cabin 
fitted  for  travelling;  which,  as  it  is  moved  principal- 
y  by  towing  with  poles,  does  not  go  farther  than 
about  twenty  miles  in  a  day,  stopping  in  the  even- 
ing. He  employed  his  time  in  studying  the  eastern 
languages,  in  which  he  was  assisted  by  a  native 
teacher,  called  a  moonshee,  who  accompanied  him. 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  75 

He  several  times  witnessed  the  idolatrous  cere- 
monies of  the  people,  and  made  some  attempts  to 
convince  them  of  the  sinfulness  and  folly  of  the 
devotion  they  paid  to  idols  of  their  own  carving, 
and  to  the  river  Ganges  itself.  At  several  villages 
on  the  route  he  attempted  to  speak  to  the  people, 
and  distributed  tracts.  Some  parts  of  his  own  nar- 
rative of  this  tour,  will  show  how  he  employed 
himself,  and  how  he  was  upheld  in  his  purpose 
amidst  all  discouragements. 

"Oct.  19th.— Sunday.  The  first  solitary  Sab- 
bath spent  among  the  heathen :  but  my  soul  not 
forsaken  of  God.  The  prayers  of  my  dear  friends 
were  instant  for  me  this  day,  I  well  perceive :  and 
a  great  part  of  my  prayer  was  occupied  in  delight- 
ful intercession  for  them.  The  account  of  the  fall 
of  man,  in  the  third  chapter  of  Genesis,  and  of  his 
restoration  by  Christ,  was  unspeakably  affecting  to 
my  soul.  Indeed,  every  thing  I  read  seemed  to 
be  carried  home  to  my  soul  with  ineffable  sweet- 
ness and  power  by  the  Spirit ;  and  all  that  was 
within  me  blessed  His  holy  name.  In  the  after- 
noon, sent  to  the  moonshee,  that  he  might  hear  the 
gospel  read,  or  read  it  himself.  Began  St.  Mark  ; 
— but  our  conversation  turning  from  Christian- 
ity to  Mohammedism,  became  deadening  to  my 
spirit.  Our  course  to-day  was  along  the  eastern 
bank,  which  seems  to  have  been  lately  the  bed  of 


76  XJFE  OF  HENRY  MARTY X. 

the  river,  and  is  bare  of  trees  for  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  water.  The  western  bank  is 
covered  with  wood.  In  my  evening  walk  saw  three 
skeletons." 

"  Oct.  20th. — Employed  all  the  day  in  translat- 
ing the  first  chapter  of  the  Acts  into  Hindoostanee. 
I  did  it  with  some  care,  and  wrote  it  all  out  in  the 
Persian  character ;  yet  still  I  am  surprised  I  do  so 
little.  I  walked  into  the  village  where  the  boat 
stopped  for  the  night,  and  found  the  worshippers 
of  Call  by  the  sound  of  their  drums  and  cymbals. 
I  did  not  think  of  speaking  to  them,  on  account  of 
their  being  Bengalees.  But,  being  invited  by  the 
Brahmins*  to  walk  in,  I  entered  within  the  railing, 
and  asked  a  few  questions  about  the  idol.  The 
Brahmin,  who  spoke  bad  Hindoostanee,  disputed 
with  great  heat,  and  his  tongue  ran  faster  than  I 
could  follow  ;  and  the  people,  who  were  about  one 
hundred,  shouted  applause.  But  I  continued  to 
ask  my  questions,  without  making  any  remarks 
upon  the  answers.  I  asked,  among  other  things, 
whether  what  I  had  heard  of  Vishnu  and  Brahma 
was  true  ;  which  he  confessed.  I  forbore  to  press 
him  with  the  consequences,  which  he  seemed  to 
feel ;  and  then  I  told  him  what  was  my  belief. — 
The  man  grew  quite  mild,  and  said  it  was  chula 
bat  (good  words  ;)  and  asked  me  seriously,  at  last, 
*  Hindoo  priests. 


LIFE   OF  HENRY   MARTYN.  77 

what  I  thought — *  was  idol  worship  true  or  false  ?' 
I  felt  it  a  matter  of  thankfulness  that  I  could  make 
known  the  truth  of  God,  though  but  a  stammerer ; 
and  that  I  had  declared  it  in  the  presence  of  the 
devil.  And  this  also  I  learnt,  that  the  power  of 
gentleness  is  irresistible.  I  never  was  more  aston- 
ished than  at  the  change  in  deportment  of  this  hot- 
headed Brahmin." 

"  Oct.  21. — Afternoon,  with  my  moonshee,  cor- 
recting Acts  i.,  and  felt  a  little  discouraged  at  finding 
I  still  wrote  so  incorrectly,  though  much  pleased 
at  this  great  apparent  desire  of  having  it  perfectly 
accurate.  Though  not  joyful  in  my  spirit,  as  when 
my  friends  left  me,  I  feel  my  God  to  be  an  all- 
satisfying  portion,  and  find  no  want  of  friends. 
Read  Genesis  and  Luke ; — at  night  in  the  Septu- 
agint  and  Hindoostanee." 

"  Oct.  22. — A  Brahmin  of  my  own  age  was  per- 
forming his  devotions  to  the  Ganges  early  this 
morning,  when  I  was  going  to  prayer.  My  soul 
was  struck  with  the  sovereignty  of  God,  who,  out 
of  pure  grace,  had  made  such  a  difference  in  all 
the  external  circumstances  of  our  lives.  O  let  not 
that  man's  earnestness  rise  up  in  judgment  against 
me  at  the  last  day ! — In  the  afternoon,  they  were 
performing  the  ceremony  of  throwing  the  images 
of  Cali,  collected  from  several  villages,  into  the 
river.  In  addition  to  the  usual  music,  there  were 


78  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

trumpets.  The  objects  of  worship,  which  were 
figures  most  gorgeously  bedecked  with  tinsel,  were 
kept  under  a  little  awning  in  their  respective  boats. 
As  the  budgerow  passed  through  the  boats,  they 
turned,  so  as  to  present  the  front  of  their  goddess 
to  me  ;  and  at  the  same  time,  blew  a  blast  with 
their  trumpet,  evidently  intending  to  gratify  me 
with  a  sight  of  what  appeared  to  them  so  fine.  Had 
their  employment  been  less  impious,  I  should  have 
returned  the  compliment  by  looking ;  but  I  turned 
away." 

"  Came-to  on  the  eastern  bank,  below  a  village 
called  Ahgadeep.  Wherever  I  walked,  the  women 
fled  at  the  sight  of  me.  Some  men  were  sitting 
under  the  shed  dedicated  to  their  goddess  ;  and  a 
lamp  was  burning  in  her  place.  A  conversation 
soon  began ;  but  there  was  no  one  who  could 
speak  Hindoostanee  ;  so  all  I  could  say  was  by  the 
medium  of  my  mussulman  interpreter.  They  said 
that  they  only  did  as  others  did ;  and  that,  if  they 
were  wrong,  then  all  Bengal  was  wrong.  I  felt 
love  for  their  souls,  and  longed  for  utterance  to  de- 
clare unto  these  poor  simple  people,  the  holy  gos- 
pel. I  think  that  when  my  mouth  is  opened,  T 
shall  preach  to  them  day  and  night.  I  feel  that 
they  are  my  brethren  in  the  flesh ; — precisely  on  a 
level  with  myself." 

"  Oct.  25th. — Had   a  very  solemn   season  of 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  79 

prayer,  by  the  favour  of  God,  over  some  of  the 
chapters  of  Genesis  ;  but  especially  at  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  119th  Psalm.  O  that  these  holy  reso- 
lutions and  pious  breathings  were  entirely  my  own ! 
Adored  be  the  never-failing  mercy  of  God !  He 
has  made  my  happiness  to  depend,  not  on  the  un- 
certain connexions  of  this  life,  but  upon  his  own 
most  blessed  self, — a  portion  that  never  faileth. — 
Came -to  on  the  eastern  bank.  The  opposite  side 
was  very  romantic ; — adorned  with  a  stately  range 
of  very  high  forest  trees,  whose  deep  dark  shade 
seemed  impenetrable  to  the  light. — In  my  evening 
walk  enjoyed  great  solemnity  of  feeling,  in  the 
view  of  the  world  as  a  mere  wilderness,  through 
which  the  children  of  God  are  passing  to  a  better 
country.  It  was  a  comforting  and  a  solemn  thought, 
and  was  unspeakably  interesting  to  me  at  the  time, 
that  God  knew  whereabouts  his  people  were  in 
the  wilderness,  arid  was  supplying  them  with  just 
what  they  wanted." 

"  Oct.  26th. — Sunday.  Passed  this  Lord's  day 
with  great  comfort,  and  much  solemnity  of  soul. 
Glory  to  God  for  his  grace  !  Reading  the  scrip- 
tures and  prayer  took  up  the  first  part  of  the  day. 
Almost  every  chapter  I  read  was  blest  to  my  soul ; 
particularly  the  last  chapter  of  Isaiah :  ;  It  shall 
come,  that  I  will  gather  all  nations  and  tongues ; 
and  they  shall  come,  and  see  my  glory,'  &c.  Re- 


80  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

joice,  my  soul,  in  the  sure  promises  of  Jehovah, 
How  happy  am  I,  when,  in  preparing  for  the  work 
of  declaring  his  glory  among  the  Gentiles,  I  think, 
that  many  of  the  Lord's  saints  have  been  this  day 
remembering  their  unworthy  friend.  I  felt  as  if  I 
could  never  be  tired  with  prayer.  In  the  afternoon, 
read  one  of  Gilbert's  French  Sermons  ;  Bates  on 
Death  ;  and  some  of  the  Nagree  Gospels.  In  the 
evening,  we  came-to  on  the  eastern  bank.  I  walk- 
ed into  a  neighbouring  village,  with  some  tracts. 
The  children  ran  away  in  great  terror ;  and  though 
there  were  some  men  here  and  there,  I  found  no 
opportunity  or  encouragement  to  try  if  there  were 
any  that  could  speak  Hindoostanee  :  however,  I 
felt  vexed  with  myself  for  not  taking  more  pains  to 
do  them  good.  Alas  !  while  Satan  is  destroying 
their  souls,  does  it  become  the  servants  of  God  to 
be  lukewarm  ?" 

"  Oct.  27th. — Arrived  at  Berhampore.  In  the 
evening,  walked  out  to  see  the  cantonments  at  the 
hospital,  in  which  there  were  one  hundred  and  fifty 
European  soldiers  sick.  I  was  talking  to  a  man, 
said  to  be  dying,  when  a  surgeon  entered.  I  went 
up,  and  made  some  apology  for  entering  the  hos- 
pital. It  was  my  old  school-fellow  and  townsman, 

.  The  remainder  of  the  evening  he  spent 

with  me  in  my  budgerow.  He  pressed  me  much 
to  stay  longer  with  him,  which  I  refused ;  but  af 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYX.  81 

ter wards,  on  reflection,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  stay 
a  little  longer ;  thinking  I  might  have  an  opportu- 
nity of  preaching  to  the  soldiers." 

"  Oct.  28th. — Rose  very  early,  and  was  at  the 
hospital  at  day-light.  Waited  there  a  long  time, 
wandering  up  and  down  the  wards,  in  hopes  of  in- 
ducing the  men  to  get  up  and  assemble  ;  but  it  was 
in  vain.  I  left  three  books  with  them,  and  went 
away  amidst  the  sneers  and  titters  of  the  common 
soldiers.  Certainly  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  crosses 
I  am  called  to  bear,  to  take  pains  to  make  people 
hear  me.  It  is  such  a  struggle  between  a  sense 
of  propriety  and  modesty,  on  the  one  hand,  and  a 
sense  of  duty,  on  the  other,  that  I  find  nothing 
equal  to  it.  I  could  force  my  way  any  where, 
in  order  to  introduce  a  brother  minister:  but  for 

myself,  I  act  with  hesitation  and  pain.  Mr. 

promised  to  ask  the  head  surgeon's  permission  for 
me  to  preach,  and  appointed  the  hour  at  which  I 
should  come.  I  went  there  :  but  after  waiting  two 
hours,  was  told  that  the  surgeon  was  gone  without 
being  spoken  to, — and  many  other  excuses  \vere 
made.  So,  as  it  was  now  the  heat  of  the  day,  I 
saw  it  was  of  no  use  to  make  any  more  attempts ; 
and  therefore  I  went  on  my  way." 

"  Nov.  2. — Sunday.  My  mind  was  greatly  op- 
pressed, that  I  had  done,  and  was  doing  nothing  in 
the  way  of  distributing  tracts.  To  free  my  con- 


82  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

science  from  the  charge   of  unprofitableness   and 
neglect,  I  wished  to  go  ashore  in  the  middle  of  the 
day,  wherever  I  thought  I  might  meet  people  ;  but 
did  not  land  till  we  came -to,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Ganges,    which   we    entered   just   before    sunset. 
Walking  on  shore,  I  met  with  a  very  large  party ; 
and  entering  into  conversation,  I  asked  if  any  of 
them  could  read.     One  young  man,  who  seemed 
superior  in  rank  to  the  rest,  said  he  could,  and 
accordingly  read  some    of  the  only  N agree  tract 
that  I  had.     I  then  addressed  myself  boldly  to 
them,  and  told  them  of  the  gospel.     When  speak- 
ing of  the  inefficacy  of  the  religious  practices  of 
the  Hindoos,  I  mentioned  as  an  example,  the  re- 
petition of  the  name   of  Ram.     The  young  man 
assented  to  this ;    and  said  '  of  what  use  is   it !' 
As  he  seemed  to  be  of  a  pensive  turn,  and  said 
this  with  marks  of  disgust,  I  gave  him  a  Nagree 
Testament ; — the  first  I  have  given.     May  God's 
blessing  go  along  with  it,  and  cause  the  eyes  of 
multitudes    to   be    opened !     The  men  said  they 
should  be  glad  to  receive  tracts ;  so  I  sent  them 
back  a  considerable  number  by  the  young  man. 
The  idea  of  printing  the  Parables,  in  proper  order, 
with  a  short  explanation  subjoined  to  each,  for  the 
purpose  of  distribution,  and  as  school-books,  sug- 
gested itself  to  me  to-night,  and  delighted  me  pro- 
digiously." 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYtf.  83 

"  Nov.  8th. — Early  this  morning  reached  Raje- 
mahl,  and  walked  to  view  the  remains  of  its  ancient 
splendour.     Gave  a  tract  or  two  to  a  Brahmin  ;  but 
the  Dak  moonshee,  a  Mussulman,  when  he  receiv- 
ed one  of  the  Hindoostanee  tracts,  and  found  what 
it  was,  was  greatly  alarmed :  and  after  many  awk- 
ward apologies,  returned  it,  saying  that <  a  man  who 
had  his  legs  in  two  different  boats,  was  in  danger 
of  sinking  between  them.'     Went  on,  much  dis- 
couraged at  the  suspicion  and  rebuffs  I  met  with, 
or  rather  pained /  for  I  feel  not  the  less  determined 
to  use  every  effort  to  give  the  people  the  gospel. 
Oh !  that  the  Lord  would  pour  out  upon  them  a 
spirit  of  deep  concern  for  their  souls  !     In  a  walk, 
at  Rajemahl,  met  some  of  the  hill  people.     Wrote 
down  from  their  mouth  some  of  the  names  of  things. 
From  their  appearance,  they  seemed  connected  with 
the  Hottentots  and  Chinese.     Passed  the  day  in 
correcting  Acts,  chapter  iii.  with  the  moonshee. 
At  night  walked  with   Mr.  G — ,  into  a  village, 
where  we  met  with  some  more  of  the  hill  people. 
With  one  of  them,  who  was  a  manghee,  or  chief 
of  one  of  the   hills,  I  had  some   conversation  in 
Hindoostanee  ;  and  told  him  that  wicked  men,  after 
death,  go  to  a  place  of  fire  ;  and  good  men,  above, 
to  God.    The  former  struck  him  exceedingly.    He 
asked  again,  '  What  ?  do  they  go  to  a  place  of  great 
pain  and  fire  ?'     These  people,  he  said,  sacrifice 


84  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MAETYX. 

oxen,  goats,  pigeons,  &c.  I  asked  him  if  he  knew 
what  this  was  for,  and  then  explained  the  design 
of  sacrifices  ;  and  told  him  of  the  great  sacrifice  , 
but  he  did  not  seem  to  understand  me,  and  ap- 
peared pensive,  after  hearing  that  wicked  men  go 
to  hell.  He  asked  us,  with  great  kindness,  to  have 
some  of  his  wild  honey ;  which  was  the  only 
thing  he  had  to  offer.  How  surprising  is  the  uni- 
versal prevalence  of  sacrifices  !.  This  circumstance 
will,  perhaps,  be  made  use  of  for  the  universal 
conversion  of  the  nations.  How  desirable  that 
some  missionary  should  go  among  these  peo- 
ple ! — No  prejudices — none  of  the  detestable  pride 
and  self-righteousness  of  their  neighbours  in  the 
plains." 

"  Nov.  9th. — Passed  the  Sabbath  rather  uncom- 
fortably. With  Mr.  — — ,  I  read  several  portions 
of  the  sacred  scriptures,  and  prayed  in  the  after- 
noon. We  reached  Sicily  gully,  a  point  where 
the  Rajemahl  hills  jut  out  into  the  Ganges.  It 
was  a  romantic  spot.  We  went  ashore,  and  as- 
cended an  eminence  to  look  at  the  ruins  of  a 
mosque.  The  grave,  and  room  over  it,  of  a  Mus- 
sulman warrior,  killed  in  battle,  were  in  perfect 
preservation ;  and  lamps  are  still  lighted  there 
every  night.  We  saw  a  few  more  of  the  hill 
people ;  one  of  whom  had  a  bow  and  arrows  ; 
they  were  in  a  hurry  to  be  gone  ;  and  went 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  85 

off,  men,  women,  and  children,  into  their  native 
woods.  As  I  was  entering  the  boat,  I  happened 
to  touch  with  my  stick  the  brass  pot  of  one  of 
the  Hindoos,  in  which  rice  was  boiling.  So  de- 
filed are  we  in  their  sight,  that  they  thought  the 
pollution  passed  from  my  hand,  through  the  stick 
and  the  brass,  to  the  meat.  He  rose  and  threw  it 
all  away." 

"  Nov.  13th. — This  morning  we  passed  Col- 
gong.  I  went  ashore  and  had  a  long  conversation 
with  two  men.  As  I  approached  more  and  more 
to  religion,  they  were  the  more  astonished ;  and 
when  I  mentioned  the  day  of  judgment,  they 
looked  at  each  other  in  the  utmost  wonder,  with 
a  look  that  expressed,  '  how  should  he  know  any 
thing  about  that  ?'  I  felt  some  satisfaction  in 
finding  myself  pretty  well  understood  in  what  I 
said :  but  they  could  not  read :  and  no  people 
came  near  us,  and  so  I  had  the  grief  of  leaving 
this  place  without  supplying  it  with  one  ray  of 
light.  Looking  around  this  country,  and  reflect- 
ing upon  its  state,  is  enough  to  overwhelm  the 
mind  of  a  minister  or  missionary.  When  once 
my  mouth  is  opened,  how  shall  I  ever  dare  to  be 
silent?  Employed  as  yesterday.  At  night  met 
some  boatmen  on  the  bank,  and  a  Fakir  with 
them :  I  talked  a  good  deal,  and  some  things  they 
understood.  The  Fakir's  words  I  could  scarcely 
H 


86  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

understand.  As  he  said  he  could  read,  and  pro- 
mised to  read  a  Testament,  I  gave  him  one,  and 
several  tracts." 

"  Nov.  Vlth. — Early  this  morning  they  set  me 
ashore  to  see  a  hot  spring.  A  great  number  of 
Brahmins  and  Fakirs*  were  there.  Not  being 
able  to  understand  them,  I  gave  away  tracts. 
Many  followed  me  to  the  budgerow,  where  I  gave 
away  more  tracts  and  some  Testaments.  Arrived 
at  Monghir  about  noon.  In  the  evening  some 
came  to  me  for  books ;  and,  among  them,  thcrse 
who  had  travelled  from  the  spring,  having  heard 
the  report  that  I  was  giving  away  copies  of  the 
Ramayuna.t  They  would  not  believe  me  when 
I  told  them  that  it  was  not  the  Ramayuna ;  I 
gave  them  six  or  eight  more.  In  the  morning 
tried  to  translate,  with  the  moonshee,  one  of  the 
Nagree  papers." 

"  Nov.  18th. — A  man  followed  the  budgerow 
along  the  walls  of  the  fort;  and  finding  an  op- 
portunity, got  on  board  with  another,  begging  for 
a  book — not  believing  but  that  it  was  the  Rama- 
yuna. As  I  hesitated,  having  given  as  many  as  I 
could  spare  for  one  place,  he  prostrated  himself  to 
the  earth,  and  placed  his  forehead  in  the  dust ;  at 
which  I  felt  an  indescribable  horror.  I  gave  them 

*  Men,  professing  to  be  religious,  who  live  upon  charity, 
t  A  poem  called  sacred  by  the  Hindoos. 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  87 

each  a  testament.  Employed  in  writing  out  the 
parables,  and  translating.  In  the  evening  met  with 
two  villagers,  and  finding  they  could  read,  I  brought 
them  to  the  boat,  and  gave  them  each  a  Testament, 
and  some  tracts." 

"  Nov .  19l/i. — Employed  in  translating  the  para- 
bles, all  the  day.  Finished  reading  the  first  book 
of  the  Ramayuna.  Came-to  at  a  desert  place  on 
the  north  side ;  where,  in  my  walk,  I  met  with  a 
man  with  whom  I  conversed ;  but  we  could  under- 
stand each  other  but  very  little.  To  a  boy  with 
him,  who  could  read,  I  gave  some  tracts.  Felt 
extraordinarily  wearied  with  my  labour  these  twc 
or  three  last  days  ;  and  should  have  been  glad  of 
some  refreshing  conversation." 


CHAPTER   VII. 

MR.  MARTYN  arrived  at  Dinapore,  on  the  26th 
November:  his  principal  objects,  besides  discharg- 
ing his  duties  as  chaplain  to  the  English  residents 
there,  were  to  establish  schools  for  the  children  of 
the  natives  ;  to  learn  to  speak  Hindoostanee  ;  and  to 
translate  the  scriptures  and  religious  tracts  into 
that  language,  for  distribution  among  the  people. 


88  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

There  are  so  many  dialects  in  India,  that  it  is  a 
great  labour  to  study  the  language,  so  as  to  be  un- 
derstood by  the  inhabitants  of  different  parts  of  the 
country.  In  these  employments  he  persevered, 
though  meeting  with  ridicule  and  opposition,  not 
only  from  the  natives,  but  even  from  his  own  irre- 
ligious countrymen,  who  formed  his  congregation. 
"  Let  me  labour,"  he  said  "  for  fifty  years,  amidst 
scorn,  and  without  seeing  one  soul  converted  ;  still 
it  shall  not  be  worse  for  my  soul  in  eternity,  nor 
even  worse  for  it  in  time."  He  continued  to  trans- 
late the  parables,  with  explanations,  and  devoted 
his  whole  time  to  preparations  for  his  missionary 
work ;  excepting  when  he  had  an  opportunity  of 
personally  addressing  the  natives,  who  could  un- 
derstand him,  and  excepting  the  time  spent  with 
his  English  congregation,  and  the  sick  at  the 
hospital. 

We  have  another  proof  of  the  reality  of  religion, 
and  the  truth  of  the  Divine  promises,  in  the  manner 
in  which  Martyn  was  enabled  to  persist  in  his 
object,  in  circumstances  which  would  have  induced 
any  other  person,  than  a  Christian,  to  abandon  it  in 
despair.  There  he  stood  almost  alone,  surrounded 
by  idolaters  and  Mohammedans,  who  ridiculed  his 
attempts  to  enlighten  them ;  and  were  not  moved 
by  all  his  arguments  for  the  religion  of  Christ. 
The  English  who  were  settled  there,  were  engaged 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  89 

in  trade  :  and  it  was  a  great  object  with  them,  that 
the  natives  should  be  kept  ignorant,  that  they  might 
be  more  easily  managed  in  business  concerns.  Of 
course,  they  would  not  countenance  the  plans  of 
Mr.  Martyn,  and  scarcely  treated  him  with  respect. 
So  solitary  was  he,  amidst  persons  so  different  in 
feeling  from  himself,  that  happening  to  meet  a  poor 
Jew  from  Babylon,  he  said  he  "  felt  all  the  tender- 
ness of  a  kinsman  towards  him,  and  found  himself, 
as  it  were,  at  home  with  an  Asiatic,  who  acknow- 
ledged the  God  of  Abraham."  Another  source  of 
consolation,  known  only  to  the  true  follower  of 
Christ,  is  thus  intimated  by  him  :  "  O  how  shall 
I  sufficiently  praise  my  God,  that  here  in  this 
solitude,  with  people  enough,  indeed,  but  with- 
out a  saint,  I  yet  feel  fellowship  with  all  those 
who,  in  eyeiy  place,  call  on  the  name  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  I  see  myself  travelling  on  with 
them,  and  I  hope  I  shall  worship  with  them  in  His 
courts  above  !" 

Notwithstanding  these  obstacles,  such  was  his 
conviction  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  that  it  was 
his  duty  to  persevere,  that  the  time  passed  away 
rapidly.  The  nature  of  the  support  and  consola- 
tions, which  he  received,  may  be  judged  of  from 
his  own  expressions,  such  as  these  : 

"  I  felt  more,  entirely  withdrawn  from  the  world, 
than  for  a  long  time  past :  what  a  dark  atheistical 

H2 


90  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTY  NT. 

state  do  I  generally  live  in  !  Alas  !  that  this  crea- 
tion should  so  engross  my  mind,  and  the  author  of 
it  be  so  slightly  and  coldly  regarded.  I  found 
myself,  at  this  time,  truly  a  stranger  and  a  pilgrim 
in  the  world ;  and  I  did  suppose  that  not  a  wish 
remained  for  any  thing  here.  The  experience  of 
my  heart  was  delightful.  I  enjoyed  a  peace  that 
passeth  all  understanding;  no  desire  remained,  but 
that  this  peace  might  be  confirmed  and  increased. 
O  why  should  any  thing  draw  away  my  attention, 
whilst  Thou  art  ever  near,  and  ever  accessible 
through  the  Son  of  Thy  love  ?  O  why  do  I  not 
always  walk  with  God,  forgetful  of  a  vain  and  per- 
ishable world  ?  Amazing  patience  !  He  bears  with 
this  faithless,  foolish  heart,  and  suffers  me  to 
come,  laden  with  sins,  to  receive  new  pardon,  new 
grace,  every  day.  Why  does  not  such  love  make 
me  hate  those  sins  which  grieve  him,  and  hide  him 
from  my  sight  ?  I  sometimes  make  vain  resolutions, 
in  my  own  strength,  that  I  will  think  of  God. 
Reason,  and  scripture,  and  experience,  teach  me 
that  such  a  life  is  happiness  and  holiness ;  that  by 
4  beholding  his  glory,'  I  should  be  changed  '  into 
his  image,  from  glory  to  glory,'  and  be  freed  from 
those  anxieties  which  make  me  unhappy  :  and  that, 
every  motive  to  duty  being  strong,  obedience  would 
be  easy." 

He  established,  at  his  own  expense,  five  schools 


LIFE   OF  HENRY   MARTYX.  91 

for  the  children  of  the  natives,  in  Dinapore,  and 
some  neighbouring  places.  We  suppose  that  these 
schools  were  intended  to  enable  the  children  to  read 
and  write  their  own  language,  and  to  receive  in- 
struction in  the  Christian  religion,  so  that  they 
might  not  grow  up  in  ignorance  and  idolatry  like 
their  parents.  There  are  two  great  reasons  why 
this  course  is,  in  all  cases,  the  most  proper.  First, 
because,  if  the  mind  is  enlightened  by  education,  it 
is  hard  to  persuade  a  person  to  believe  in  supersti- 
tions. And  the  second  reason  is,  that  almost  all 
the  feelings  and  beliefs  that  men  have,  are  the  same 
that  have  been  impressed  on  them  in  youth,  and 
have  been  established  in  some  degree  by  the  power 
of  habit.  It  is,  therefore,  of  the  highest  importance, 
that  the  earliest  habits  of  a  child  should  be  good  ; 
and  that  its  instructions  should  be  in  the  truth  ;  for, 
in  almost  all  cases,  such  a  child  will,  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  retain  his  good  habits  and  instructions, 
and  have  them,  at  length,  eternally  fixed  by  religion. 
This  is  the  sense  of  the  saying  of  Solomon — "  Train 
up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when  he 
is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it." 

We  find  the  following  reflections  in  Martyn's 
diary  of  the  1st  of  January,  1807  : 

"  Seven  years  have  passed  away  since  I  was  first 
called  of  God.  Before  the  conclusion  of  another 
seven  years,  how  probable  is  it,  that  these  hands 


92  x  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

will  have  mouldered  into  dust !  But  be  it  so :  my 
soul,  through  grace,  hath  received  the  assurance  of 
eternal  life,  and  I  see  the  days  of  my  pilgrimage 
shortening,  without  a  wish  to  add  to  their  number. 
But  O,  may  I  be  stirred  up  to  a  faithful  discharge 
of  my  high  and  awful  work  ;  and,  laying  aside,  as 
much  as  may  be,  all  carnal  cares  and  studies,  may 
I  give  myself  to  this  '  one  thing.'  The  last  has 
been  a  year  to  be  remembered  by  me,  because  the 
Lord  has  brought  me  safely  to  India,  and  permitted 
me  to  begin,  in  one  sense,  my  missionary  work. 
My  trials  in  it  have  been  very  few  :  every  thing 
has  turned  out  better  than  I  expected ;  loving- 
kindness  and  tender-mercies,  have  attended  me  at 
every  step :  therefore,  here  will  I  sing  his  praise. 
I  have  been  an  unprofitable  servant  but  the  Lord 
hath  not  cut  me  off:  I  have  been  wayward  and 
perverse,  yet  he  has  brought  me  further  on  the  way 
to  Zion  :  here,  then,  with  seven-fold  gratitude  and 
affection,  would  I  stop  and  devote  myself  to  the 
blissful  service  of  my  adorable  Lord.  May  he 
continue  his  patience,  his  grace,  his  direction,  his 
spiritual  influences,  and  I  shall  at  last  surely  come 
off*  conqueror !  May  he  speedily  open  my  mouth, 
to  make  known  the  mysteries  of  the  gospel,  and  in 
great  mercy  grant  that  the  heathen  may  receive  it 
and  live  !" 

In    February   1807,   Mr.    Marty n    finished   the 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  93 

translation  of  the  Episcopal  Prayer-book  into  the 
Hindoostanee ;  and  on  Sunday,  March  15th,  used 
it  in  public  worship  for  the  first  time,  concluding 
with  a  short  address  in  that  language.  About  this 
time,  he-  also  completed  his  translation  and  ex- 
planation of  the  Parables  of  our  Saviour,  which  he 
intended,  principally,  for  the  use  of  the  schools,  but 
postponed  for  a  while,  lest  it  should  excite  so  much 
prejudice  as  to  break  up  the  schools  entirely. 
Every  Sunday,  he  held  divine  service  at  seven  in 
the  morning  for  the  English  people,  and  at  two  in  the 
afternoon  for  the  natives  ;  after  which  he  visited  the 
sick  in  the  hospital,  and  held  a  prayer-meeting  at 
his  own  house  in  the  evening,  for  some  soldiers  of 
the  army,  who  were  willing  to  attend.  These  plans 
were  pursued  under  much  discouragement ;  the 
following  is  the  diary  of  one  Sunday  : 

"  The  English  service,  at  seven  in  the  morning. 
1  preached  on  Luke  xxii.  22.  As  is  always  the- 
case  when  I  preach  about  Christ,  a  spiritual  influ- 
ence was  diffused  over  my  soul.  The  rest  of  the 
morning,  till  dinner  time,  I  spent,  not  unprofitably, 
in  reading  scripture,  and  David  Brainerd,  and  in 
prayer.  That  dear  saint  of  God,  David  Brainerd, 
is  truly  a  man  after  my  own  heart.  Although  I 
cannot  go  half-way  with  him  in  spirituality  and 
devotion,  I  cordially  unite  with  him  in  such  of  his 
holy  breathings  as  I  have  attained  unto.  How 


94  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

sweet  and  wise,  like  him  and  the  saints  of  old,  to 
pass  through  this  world  as  a  serious  and  consider 
ate  stranger.  I  have  had  more  of  this  temper  to-day 
than  of  late,  and  every  duty  has  been  in  harmony 
with  my  spirit.  The  service  in  Hindoostanee  was 
at  two  o'clock.  The  number  of  women  not  above 
one  hundred.  I  expounded  chapter  iii.  of  St. 
Matthew.  Notwithstanding  the  general  apathy  with 
whichv  they  seemed  to  receive  every  thing,  there 
were  two  or  three  who,  I  was  sure,  understood  and 
felt  something.  But,  beside  the  women,  not  a  single 
creature,  European  or  native,  was  present.  Yet 
true  spirituality,  with  all  its  want  of  attraction  for 
the  carnal  heart,  did  prevail  over  the  splendid  shows 
of  Greece  and  Rome,  and  shall  again  here.  A 
man  at  the  hospital  much  refreshed  me,  by  ob- 
serving, that  if  I  made  an  acquisition  of  but  one 
convert  in  my  whole  life,  it  would  be  a  rich  re- 
ward ;  and  that  I  was  taking  the  only  possible  way 
to  this  end." 

There  were,  however,  some  of  the  officers,  who 
evinced  serious  feelings ;  and  one  was  brought  to 
embrace  the  offers  of  salvation.  Martyn  longed 
for  the  time  when  he  should  be  qualified  to  go  into 
the  midst  of  the  Hindoos  with  the  gospel.  "  O," 
said  he,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Corrie,  missionary  at 
another  station,  "  that  the  time  were  come  that  I 
should  be  able  to  carry  the  war  into  the  enemy's 


LIFE   OP  HENRY  MARTYN.  95 

territory.  It  will  be  a  severe  trial  to  the  flesh,  my 
dear  brother,  for  us  both ; — but  it  is  sufficient  for 
the  disciple  to  be  as  his  master,  and  the  servant  as 
his  Lord.  We  shall  be  4  accounted  as  the  filth  of 
the  world,  and  the  off-scouring  of  all  things.'  But 
glory  be  to  God,  if  we  shall  be  accounted  wor- 
thy to  suffer  shame  for  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus." 

His  journal  of  a  trip  to  Monghir,  about  a  hun- 
dred miles  distant,  shows  the  distress  he  felt, 
because  his  zeal  was  not  greater,  and  because  he 
was  not  so  holy  and  spiritual  as  he  desired  to  be. 
He  had,  no  doubt,  just  reasons  for  lamenting  many 
neglected  opportunities  for  doing  good,  and  for  de- 
ploring the  many  wanderings  of  his  heart  from 
God ;  but  we  are  not  to  understand  that  he  was 
outwardly  wicked  or  careless,  when  he  speaks  of  his 
condition  in  such  strong  language. 

"  After  finishing  the  correction  of  the  parables,  I 
left  Dinapors  to  go  to  Manghir.  Spent  the  even- 
ing at  Patna,  with  Mr.  G ,  in  talking  on  literary 

subjects:  but  my  soul  was  overwhelmed  with  a 
sense  of  my  guilt,  in  not  striving  to  lead  the 
conversation  to  something  that  might  be  for  his 
spiritual  good.  My  general  backwardness  to  speak 
on  spiritual  subjects  before  the  unconverted,  made 
me  groan  in  spirit  at  such  unfeelingness  and  unbe- 
lief. May  the  remembrance  of  what  I  am  made  to 


96  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

suffer  for  these  neglects,  be  one  reason  for  greater 
zeal  and  love  in  time  to  come." 

"  April  19//t. — A  melancholy  Lord's  day  !  In 
the  morning,  at  the  appointed  hour,  I  found  some 
solemnity  and  tenderness  :  the  whole  desire  of  my 
soul  seemed  to  be,  that  all  the  ministers  in  India 
might  be  eminently  holy  ;  and  that  there  might  be 
no  remains  of  that  levity  or  indolence,  in  any  of 
us,  which  I  found  in  myself.  The  rest  of  the  day 
passed  heavily ;  for  a  hurricane  of  hot  wind  fast- 
ened us  on  a  sand-bank,  for  twelve  hours ;  while 
the  dust  was  suffocating,  and  the  heat  increased  the 
sickness  which  was  produced  by  the  tossing  of  the 
boat,  and  I  frequently  fell  asleep  over  my  work. 
However,  the  more  I  felt  tempted  to  impatience 
and  unhappiness,  the  more  the  Lord  helped  me  to 
strive  agains*  it,  and  to  look  to  the  fulness  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Several  hymns  were  very  sweet  to  me — 
particularly, 

'  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood, 

Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins  ; 
And  sinners,  plunged  beneath  that  flood, 
Lose  all  their  guilty  stains. 

1  The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 

That  fountain  in  his  day ; 
O  may  [  there,  though  vile  as  he, 
Wash  all  my  sins  away  ! 

'  Dear  dying  Lamb !  thy  precious  blood 

Shall  never  lose  its  power, 
Till  all  the  ransomed  church  of  God 
Be  saved,  to  sin  no  more. 


LIFE   OF  HENRY   MARTYN.  97 

'  E'er  since  by  faith  I  saw  the  stream 

Thy  flowing  wounds  supply, 
Redeeming  love  has  been  my  theme, 
And  shall  be  till  I  die. 

'  But  when  this  lisping,  stammering  tongue 

Lies  silent  in  the  grave, 
Then,  in  a  nobler,  sweeter  song, 
I'll  sing  thy  power  to  save.1 

"  After  all  the  acquisitions  of  human  science, 
what  is  there  to  be  compared  with  the  knowledge 
of  Christ,  and  him  crucified  ! — Read  much  of  the 
scripture  history  of  Saul,  and  the  predictions  in  the 
latter  end  of  the  Revelation." 

"  April  21  st. — Again  the  love  and  mercy  of  the 
Lord  restored  me  to  health  and  spirits.  Began  to 
write  a  sermon  on  walking  in  Christ,  and  fqjund  my 
soul  benefited  by  meditation  on  the  subject.  In  the 
afternoon  went  on  with  translations.  Arrived  at 
sun-set  at  Monghir." 

"  April  22d. — Spent  the  day  at 's.  Found 

two  or  three  opportunities  to  speak  to  him  about 

his  soul.  threw  out  some  infidel  sentiments, 

which  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  speaking.  But 
to  none  of  the  rest  was  I  able  to  say  any  thing. 
Alas  !  in  what  a  state  are  mankind  every-where — 
living  without  God  in  the  world." 

"  April  23d. — I  left  Monghir,  and  got  on  twenty- 
three  miles  toward  Dinapore  :  very  sorrowful  in 
mind,  both  from  the  recollection  of  having  done 
nothing  for  the  perishing  souls  I  have  been  amongst, 
I 


98  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

and  from  finding  myself  so  unqualified  to  write 
on  a  spiritual  subject,  which  I  had  undertaken. 
Alas  !  the  ignorance  and  carnality  of  my  miserable 
soul !  how  contemptible  must  it  be  in  the  sight  of 
God  !" 

"  Jlpril  %4:th. — Still  cast  down  at  my  utter  ina- 
bility to  write  anything  profitable  on  this  subject; 
and  at  my  execrable  pride  and  ease  of  heart.  O 
that  I  could  weep  in  the  dust,  with  shame  and 
sorrow,  for  my  wickedness  and  folly  !  Yet  thanks 
are  due  to  the  Lord  for  showing  me,  in  this  way, 
how  much  my  heart  has  been  neglected  of  late. 
I  see  by  this,  how  great  are  the  temptations  of  a 
missionary  to  neglect  his  own  soul.  Apparently 
outwardly  employed  for  God,  my  heart  has  been 
growing  more  hard  and  proud.  Let  me  be  taught 
that  the  first  great  business  on  earth  is  to  obtain 
the  sanctification  of  my  own  soul :  so  shall  I  be 
rendered  more  capable  also  of  performing  the  duties 
of  the  ministry,  whether  amongst  the  Europeans  or 
heathen,  in  a  holy  and  solemn  manner.  Oh  !  how 
I  detest  that  levity  to  which  I  am  so  subject !  How 
cruel  and  unfeeling  is  it ! — God  is  my  witness  that 
I  would  rather,  from  this  day  forward,  weep  day 
and  night,  for  the  danger  of  immortal  souls.  But 
my  wickedness  seems  to  take  such  hold  of  me,  that 
I  cannot  escape  ;  and  my  only  refuge  is  to  commit 
my  soul,  with  all  its  corruption,  into  the  hands  of 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  99 

Christ,  to  be  sanctified  and  saved  by  His  almighty 
grace.  For  what  can  I  do  with  myself  ?  my  heart 
is  so  thoroughly  corrupt,  that  I  cannot  keep  myself 
one  moment  from  sin." 

"  J2pril2Qth. — In  prayer,  at  the  appointed  hour, 
I  felt  solemnity  of  mind,  and  an  earnest  desire 
that  the  Lord  would  pour  out  a  double  portion 
of  his  Spirit  upon  us,  his  ministers  in  India ;  that 
every  one  of  us  may  be  eminent  in  holiness  and 
ministerial  gifts.  If  I  were  to  judge  for  myself, 
I  should  fear  that  God  had  forsaken  his  church ; 
for  I  am  most  awfully  deficient  in  the  knowledge 
and  experience  requisite  for  a  minister ;  but  my 
dear  brother  Corrie,  thanks  be  to  God,  is  a  man  of 
a  better  spirit  :~— -may  he  grow  more  and  more  in 
grace,  and  continue  to  be  an  example  to  us  !  Passed 
the  day  in  reading  and  prayer,  such  as  my  prayers 
are.  My  soul  struggled  with  corruption,  yet  I  found 
the  merit  and  grace  of  Jesus  all-sufficient,  and  all- 
supporting.  Though  my  guilt  seemed  like  moun- 
tains, I  considered  it  as  no  reason  for  departing 
from  Christ,  but  rather  for  clinging  to  him  more 
closely.  Thus  I  got  through  the  day,  cast  down, 
but  not  destroyed." 

"  April  27th. — Left  Patna  and  arrived  at  Dina- 
pore.  The  concourse  of  people  in  that  great  city 
was  a  solemn  admonition  to  me  to  be  diligent  in 
study  and  prayer.  Thousands  of  intelligent  people 


100  LIFE    OF   HENRY   MARTYX. 

together ;  no  Sabbath ;  no  word  of  God ;  no  one 
to  give  them  advice  :  how  inscrutable  the  ways  of 
God  !" 

Martyn  had  made  considerable  progress  in  trans- 
lating the  scriptures  into  the  language  of  India ;  he 
now,  at  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Brown,  a  missionary 
near  Calcutta,  applied  himself  diligently  to  finish- 
ing the  work,  and  to  oversee,  also,  a  translation 
into  Persian.  This  became  a  delightful  employ- 
ment, as  his  own  expressions  show. 

"  The  time  fled  imperceptibly,  while  so  delight- 
fully engaged  in  the  translations  ;  the  days  seemed 
to  have  passed  like  a  moment.  Blessed  be  God 
for  some  improvement  in  the  languages !  May 
every  thing  be  for  edification  in  the  church  !  What 
do  I  not  owe  to  the  Lord,  for  permitting  me  to  take 
part  in  a  translation  of  his  word :  never  did  I  see 
such  wonder,  and  wisdom,  and  love  in  the  blessed 
book,  as  since  I  have  been  obliged  to  study  every 
expression ;  and  it  is  a  delightful  reflection,  that 
death  cannot  deprive  us  of  the  pleasure  of  studying 
its  mysteries." 

"  All  day  on  the  translations  : — employed  a  good 
while  at  night  in  considering  a  difficult  passage; 
and  being  much  enlightened  respecting  it,  I  went 
to  bed  full  of  astonishment  at  the  wonder  oi 
God's  word  :  never  before  did  I  see  any  thing 
of  the  beauty  of  the  language  and  the  importance 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  101 

of  the  thoughts  as  I  do  now.  I  felt  happy  that 
I  should  never  be  finally  separated  from  the  con- 
templation of  them,  or  of  the  things  about  which 
they  ar3  written.  Knowledge  shall  vanish  away, 
but  it  shall  be  because  perfection  shall  come.  Then 
shall  I  see  as  I  am  seen,  and  know  as  I  am  known." 
"  What  a  source  of  perpetual  delight  have  I  in 
the  precious  book  of  God  !  O  that  my  heart  were 
more  spiritual,  to  keep  pace  with  my  understand- 
ing ;  and  that  I  could  feel  as  I  know  !  May  my 
root  and  foundation  be  deep  in  love,  and  may  I  be 
able  to  *  comprehend,  with  all  saints,  what  is  the 
breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height,  and  to 
know  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge  !' 
And  may  I  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God ! 
May  the  Lord,  in  mercy  to  my  soul,  save  me  from 
setting  up  an  idol  of  any  sort  in  his  place  ;  as  I  do 
by  preferring  even  a  work  professedly  done  for 
him,  to  communion  with  him.  How  obstinate  is 
the  reluctance  of  the  natural  heart  to  love  God ! 
But,  O  my  soul,  be  not  deceived ;  thy  chief  work 
upon  earth  is,  to  obtain  sanctification,  and  to  walk 
with  God.  *  To  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice,  and 
to  hearken  than  the  fat  of  rams.'  Let  me  learn 
from  this,  that  to  follow  the  direct  injunctions  of 
God,  as  to  my  own  soul,  is  more  my  duty,  than  to 
be  engaged  in  other  works,  under  pretence  of  doing 
him  service.1" 

12 


102  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

"  How  sweet  the  retirement  in  which  I  here  live. 
The  precious  word  is  now  my  only  study,  in  the 
work  of  translation.  Though,  in  a  manner,  buried 
to  the  world, — neither  seeing  nor  seen  by  Europe- 
ans,— the  time  flows  on  here  with  great  rapidity :  it 
seems  as  if  life  would  be  gone  before  any  thing  is 
done,  or  even  before  any  thing  is  begun.  I  some- 
times rejoice  that  I  am  not  twenty-seven  years  of 
age ;  and  that,  unless  God  should  order  it  other- 
wise, I  may  double  the  number  in  constant  and 
successful  labour.  If  not,  God  has  many,  ma'ny 
more  instruments  at  command  ;  and  I  shall  not 
cease  from  my  happiness,  and  scarcely  from  my 
work,  by  departing  into  another  world.  Oh  !  what 
shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ  1  Neither 
death  nor  life,  I  am  persuaded.  Oh  !  let  me  feel 
my  security,  that  1  may  be,  as  it  were,  already  in 
heaven ;  that  I  may  do  all  my  work  as  the  angels 
do  theirs ;  .and  oh  !  let  me  be  ready  for  every 
work  ! — be  ready  to  leave  this  delightful  solitude, 
or  remain  in  it ;  to  go  out,  or  go  in ;  to  stay,  or 
depart,  just  as  the  Lord  shall  appoint.  Lord,  let 
me  have  no  will  of  my  own  ;  nor  consider  my  true 
happiness  as  depending  in  the  smallest  degree  on 
any  thing  that  can  befall  my  outward  man  ;  but  as 
consisting  altogether  in  conformity  to  God's  will. 
May  I  have  Christ  here  with  me  in  this  world ; 
not  substituting  imagination  in  the  place  of  faith ; 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  103 

but    seeing    outward    things    as    they   really    are, 
and  thus   obtaining  a  radical   conviction  of  their 


vanity." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MR.  MARTYN  now  received  intelligence  from 
England  of  the  death  of  his  eldest  sister,  an  event 
which  very  deeply  afflicted  him  ;  but  which  caused 
him  to  feel  fresh  confidence  in  God,  and  a  new  in- 
terest in  heaven. 

"  O  great  and  gracious  God  !  what  should  I  do 
without  Thee !  But  now  thou  art  manifesting 
thyself  as  the  God  of  all  consolation  to  my  soul : — 
never  was  I  so  near  thee  : — I  stand  on  the  brink, 
and  long  to  take  my  flight.  There  is  not  a 
thing  in  the  world  for  which  I  could  wish  to 
live,  except  the  hope  that  it  may  please  God 
to  appoint  me  some  work.  And  how  shall  my 
soul  ever  be  thankful  enough  to  thee,  O  thou 
most  incomprehensibly  glorious  Saviour  Jesus  !  O 
what  hast  thou  4done  to  alleviate  the  sorrows  of 
life  !  and  how  great  has  been  the  mercy  of  God 
towards  my  family,  in  saving1  us  all !  How  dread- 
ful would  be  the  separation  of  relations  in  death 
were  it  not  for  Jesus." 


104  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

"  The  European  letter,"  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Brown, 
"  contained  the  intelligence  of  the  death  of  my 
eldest  sister.  A  few  lines  received  from  herself 
about  three  weeks  ago,  gave  me  some  melancholy 
forebodings  of  her  danger.  But  though  the  Lord 
thus  compassionately  prepared  me  for  this  affliction, 
I  hardly  knew  how  to  bear  it.  We  were  more 
united  in  affection  to  each  other,  than  to  any  of  our 
relations  :  and  now  she  is  gone,  I  am  left  to  fulfil, 
as  a  hireling,  my  day,  and  then  I  shall  follow  her. 
She  had  been  many  years  under  some  conviction 
of  her  sins,  but  not  till  her  last  illness  had  she 
sought  in  earnest  for  salvation.  Some  weeks  be- 
fore her  death  she  felt  the  burden  of  sin,  and  cried 
earnestly  for  pardon  and  deliverance,  and  con- 
tinued in  the  diligent  use  of  the  appointed  means 
of  grace.  Two  days  before  her  death,  when  no 
immediate  danger  was  apprehended,  my  youngest 
sister  visited  her ;  and  was  surprised  and  delighted 
at  the  change  which  had  taken  place.  Her  con- 
victions of  sin  were  deep,  and  her  views  clear ;  her 
only  fear  was  on  account  of  her  own  unworthiness. 
She  asked,  with  many  tears,  whether  there  was 
mercy  for  one  who  had  been  so  great  a  sinner ; 
though  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  she  had  been  an 
exemplary  wife  and  mother ;  and  said  that  she 
believed  the  Lord  would  have  mercy  upon  her, 
because  she  knew  he  had  wrought  on  her  mind 


LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTYN.  105 

by  His  Spirit.  Two  days  after  this  conversation, 
she  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  left  this  world  of 
woe,  while  her  sister  was  visiting  a  dying  friend  at 
a  distance.  This,  you  will  tell  me,  is  precious 
consolation ;  indeed  I  am  constrained  to  acknow- 
ledge that  I  could  hardly  ask  for  greater  ;  for  I  had 
already  parted  with  her  for  ever  in  this  life  ;  and, 
in  parting,  all  I  wished  for  was,  to  hear  of  her 
being  converted  to  God,  and,  if  it  was  his  will, 
taken  away  in  due  time,  from  the  evil  to  come,  and 
brought  to  glory  before  me.  Yet  human  nature 
bleeds  ;  her  departure  has  left  this  world  a  frightful 
blank  to  me  ;  and  I  feel  not  the  smallest  wish  to 
live,  except  there  be  some  work  assigned  for  me  to 
do  in  the  church  of  God." 

And  sometime  afterwards  he  wrote,  "  My  heart 
is  still  oppressed,  but  it  is  not  '  a  sorrow  that 
worketh  death.'  Though  nature  weeps  at  being 
deprived  of  all  hopes  of  ever  seeing  this  dear  com- 
panion on  earth,  faith  is  thereby  brought  the  more 
into  exercise.  How  sweet  to  feel  dead  to  all  below  ; 
to  live  only  for  eternity  ;  to  forget  the  short  interval 
that  lies  between  us  and  the  spiritual  world ;  and 
to  live  always  seriously.  The  seriousness  which 
this  sorrow  produces,  is  indescribably  precious  ;  O 
that  I  could  always  retain  it,  when  these  impres- 
sions shall  be  worn  away  !" 

In  September  he  introduced  Christ's  Sermon  on 


1 06  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN, 

the  mount  as  a  lesson  for  the  schools ;  the  first 
time  he  had  been  privileged  to  hear  the  natives 
reading  and  learning  any  portion  of  the  sacred 
scriptures.  He  declined  the  urgent  request  of  his 
friends  in  Calcutta,  to  establish  himself  there,  saying, 
that  however  delightful  it  would  be,  to  be  placed 
in  the  society  of  the  missionaries  and  their  families, 
he  wished  to  remain  more  in  the  midst  of  the  hea- 
then, upon  whom  he  desired  to  expend  his  labours. 
His  solitude  was  also  rendered  more  painful,  by 
the  disappointment  of  his  hopes  of  marriage  with 
the  lady  at  Cornwall,  to  whom  he  was  engaged, 
but  who  now  felt  obliged  to  decline  the  union,  for 
reasons  which  Mr.  Martyn  himself  admitted  to  be 
proper.  He  bore  this  trial  with  much  meekness  : 
he  said,  "  The  Lord  sanctify  this  :  and  since  this 
last  desire  of  my  heart  is  also  withheld,  may  I  turn 
away  for  ever  from  the  world,  and  henceforth  live 
forgetful  of  all  but  God.  With  thee,  O  my  God, 
is  no  disappointment.  I  shall  never  have  to  regret, 
that  I  have  loved  thee  too  well.  Thou  hast  said, 
6  delight  thyself  in  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  give  thee 
the  desires  of  thy  heart.'  ' 

"  At  first  I  was  more  grieved,"  he  wrote  some 
time  afterwards,  "  at  the  loss  of  my  gourd,  than 
for  all  the  perishing  Ninevehs  around  me  ;  but  now 
my  earthly  woes  and  earthly  attachments  seem  to 
be  absorbing  in  the  vast  concern  of  communicating 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  107 

the  gospel  to  these  nations.  After  this  last  lesson 
from  God  on  the  vanity  of  the  creature,  I  feel  de- 
sirous to  be  nothing,  to  have  nothing,  to  ask  for 
nothing,  but  what  he  gives." 

And  at  the  close  of  the  year,  he  thus  spoke  of 
this  event,  and  the  death  of  his  sister : 

"  On  both  these'  afflictions  I  have  seen  love  in- 
scribed, and  that  is  enough.  What  I  think  I  want, 
it  is  better  still  to  want :  but  I  am  often  wearied 
with  this  world  of  wo.  I  set  my  affections  on  the 
creature,  and  am  then  torn  from  it ;  and  from  vari- 
ous other  causes,  particularly  the  prevalence  of  sin 
in  my  heart,  I  am  often  so  full  of  melancholy,  that 
I  hardly  know  what  to  do  for  relief.  Sometimes 
I  say,  '  O  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove,  then  would 
I  flee  away  and  be  at  rest ;'  at  other  times,  in  my 
sorrow  about  the  creature,  I  have  no  wish  left  for 
my  heavenly  rest.  It  is  the  grace  and  favour 
of  God  that  have  saved  me  hitherto :  my  igno- 
rance, waywardness,  and  wickedness,  would  long 
since  have  plunged  me  into  misery  ;  but  there 
seems  to  be  a  mighty  exertion  of  mercy  and  grace 
upon  my  sinful  nature,  every  day,  to  keep  me  from 
perishing  at  last.  My  attainments  in  the  divine 
life,  in  this  last  year,  seem  to  be  none  at  all  ;  1 
appear,  on  the  contrary,  to  be  more  self-willed 
and  perverse  ;  and  more  like  many  of  my  country- 
men, in  arrogance  and  a  domineering  spirit  over 


108  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

the  natives.  The  Lord  save  me  from  my  wicked- 
ness !  Henceforth  let  my  soul,  humbly  depending 
upon  the  grace  of  Christ,  perfect  holiness  in  the 
fear  of  God,  and  show  towards  all,  whether  Euro- 
peans or  natives,  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

Mr.  Martyn  had  two  assistants  in  his  Indian  and 
Persian  translations,  one  named  Mirza,  of  Hindoos- 
tan,  the  other  Sab  at,  an  Arabian.  The  latter  of 
these,  for  some  time,  professed  to  be  a  convert  to 
Christianity,  but  afterwards  returned  to  Moham- 
medism.  Sabat's  temper  and  behaviour  were  so 
inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  that  he 
gave  Mr.  Martyn  great  uneasiness  ;  but  his  expres- 
sions of  a  desire  to  reform  seemed  so  sincere,  that 
he  was  long  regarded  as  a  genuine  Christian,  whom, 
it  was  hoped,  more  light,  and  knowledge,  and 
grace,  would  gradually  lead  aright. 

In  March,  1808,  Martyn  completed  the  New 
Testament  in  Hindoostanee,  and  sent  it  to  Calcutta 
to  be  printed.  The  correcting  of  the  sheets  as 
they  came  from  the  press,  occupied  much  of  his 
time  :  besides  which,  he  superintended  and  com-  , 
pared  the  Persian  translation  by  Sabat,  and  studied 
the  Arabic,  that  he  might  have  a  translation  made 
into  that  language  also.  He  received  visits  daily, 
from  such  of  his  congregation  as  were  serious,  and 
visited  the  hospital  as  usual.  In  consequence  of 


L1FJB   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  109 

the  want  of  a  proper  place  for  public  worship  at 
Dinapore,  he  held  meetings  at  his  own  house.  On 
the  first  Sunday,  he  preached  from  Isaiah  iv.  5 
"  The  Lord  will  create  upon  every  dwelling- 
place  of  Mount  Zion,  and  upon  her  assemblies,  a 
cloud  and  smoke  by  day,  and  the  shining  of  a 
flaming  fire  by  night :  for  upon  all  the  glory  shall 
ue  a  defence."  "  In  the  afternoon,"  his  diary  re- 
lates, "  I  waited  for  the  women,  but  not  one  came  : 
perhaps,  by  some  mistake,  notice  had  not  been  given 
them.  At  the  hospital,  and  with  the  men  at  night, 
I  was  engaged,  as  usual,  in  prayer :  my  soul  panted 
after  the  living  God,  but  it  remained  tied  and  bound 
with  corruption.  I  felt  as  if  I  could  have  given 
the  world  to  be  brought  to  be  alone  with  God ;  and 
the  promise  that  4  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  our 
sanctification,' — was  the  right  hand  that  upheld  me 
while  I  followed  after  Him.  When  low  in  spirits, 
through  an  unwillingness  to  take  up  the  cross,  I 
found  myself  more  resigned  in  endeavouring  to 
realise  the  thought  which  had  often  composed  me 
in  my  trials  on  board  the  ship  ;  namely,  that  I  was 
born  to  suffer ;  that  suffering  is  my  appointed  daily 
portion  ;  let  this  reconcile  me  to  every  thing  !  To 
have  a  will  of  my  own,  not  agreeable  to  God's,  is 
a  most  tremendous  wickedness.  I  own  it  is  so, 
for  a  few  moments :  but,  Lord,  write  it  on  my 
heart!  In  perfect  meekness  and  resignation  let 
K 


110  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

me  take  whatever  befalls  me  in  the  path  of  duty, 
and  never  dare  to  think  of  being  dissatisfied." 

In  June,  the  gospel  of  Matthew  was  finished  in 
Persian,  and  sent  to  Calcutta,  where  it  was  printed 
at  the  expense  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society.  In  the  summer  he  suffered  a  severe 
ittack  of  illness,  his  reflections  on  which  show 
the  spirituality  of  his  feelings,  and  the  joy  fulness 
jf  his  prospects  of  eternity. 

"  I  little  thought  to  have  had  my  faith  brought 
to  a  trial  so  soon.  This  morning,  while  getting  up 
I  found  a  pain  in  the  centre  of  my  body,  which  in- 
creased to  such  a  degree,  that  fever  and  vertigo 
came  on,  and  I  fainted.  The  dreadful  sensation 
was  like  what  I  once  felt  in  England,  but  by  no 
means  so  violent  or  long-continued ;  as  then,  also, 
I  was  alone.  After  recovering  my  senses,  and  lying 
in  pain  which  almost  made  me  breathless,  I  turned 
iny  thoughts  to  God ;  and  oh !  praise  to  his  grace 
and  love,  I  felt  no  fear;  but  I  prayed  earnestly 
that  I  might  have  a  little  relief  to  s-et  my  house  in 
order,  and  make  my  will.  I  also  thought  with 
pain,  of  leaving  the  Persian  gospels  unfinished.  By 
means  of  some  ether,  the  Lord  gave  me  ease,  and 
I  made  my  will.  The  day  was  spent  in  great  weak- 
ness, but  my  heart  was  often  filled  with  the  sweetest 
peace  and  gratitude  for  the  precious  things  God 
hath  done  for  me." 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  Ill 

"  I  found  delight  at  night  in  considering,  from 
the  beginning,  all  that  God  had  done  in  ^creation, 
providence,  and  grace,  for  my  soul.  O  God  of 
love,  how  shall  I  praise  Thee ! — happiness,  bliss 
for  ever,  lies  before  me.  Thou  hast  brought  me 
upon  this  stage  of  life  to  see  what  sin  and  misery 
'are  ;  myself,  alas  !  most  deeply  partaking  in  both. 
But  the  days  and  the  works  of  my  former  state, 
fraught  with  danger  and  with  death,  are  no  more ; 
and  the  God  of  benevolence  and  love  hath  opened 
to  me  brighter  prospects.  Thine  I  am ;  '  My 
beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his ;'  and  now  I  want 
none  but  Thee.  I  am  alone  with  Thee  in  this 
world  ;  and  when  I  put  off  this  mortal  tabernacle, 
I  shall  still  be  with  Thee,  whatever  that  unknown 
change  may  be  ;  and  I  shall  be  before  Thee,  not  to 
receive  honour,  but  to  ascribe  praise.  Yes  !  I  shall 
then  have  power  to  express  my  feelings  ;  I  shall 
then,  without  intermission,  see  and  love ;  and  no 
cloud  of  sorrow  overcast  my  mind.  I  shall  then 
sing  in  worthy,  everlasting  strains,  the  praises  of 
that  divine  Redeemer,  whose  works  of  love  now 
reach  beyond  my  conception." 

Some  portions  of  his  letters  to  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Corrie  and  Brown,  at  Calcutta,  during  this  year, 
and  part  of  1809,  will  show  his  labours,  trials,  and 
consolations,  in  a  better  manner  than  our  narrative 
eou'd. 


112  LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTYN. 

"  1  do  not  know  how  you  find  the  heat,  but  here 
it  is  dreadful:  in  one  person's  quarters  yesterday 
it  was  at  102°  :  perhaps  it  was  on  that  account  thai 
scarcely  any  women  came.  Another  reason  I 
assign  is,  that  I  rebuked  one  of  them  last  Sunday, 
yet  very  gently,  for  talking  and  laughing  in  the 
church  before  I  came  ;  so  yesterday  they  showed 
their  displeasure  by  not  coming  at  all.  I  spoke  to 
them  on  the  parable  of  the  Great  Supper :  the  old 
woman,  who  is  always  so  exemplary  in  her  atten- 
tion, shed  many  tears  ;  I  have  sometimes  endea- 
voured to  speak  to  her,  but  she  declines  conversa- 
tion. I  feel  interested  about  her,  there  is  so  much 
sorrow  and  meekness  depicted  in  her  countenance  ; 
but  she  always  crosses  herself  after  the  service  is 
over.  My  Puropeans,  this  week,  have  not  attend- 
ed very  well ;  fifteen  only,  instead  of  twenty-five  ; 
some  of  them,  indeed,  are  in  the  hospital ;  and  the 
hospital  is  a  town  of  itself; — how  shall  I  ever  be 
faithful  to  them  all !" 

"  Among  the  events  of  the  last  week  is  the  earth- 
quake ;  we  were  just  reading  the  passage  of  the 
24th  of  Matthew,  on  l  earthquakes  in  divers  places,' 
when  I  felt  my  chair  shake  under  me ;  then  some 
pieces  of  the  plaster  fell ;  on  which  I  sprang  up 
and  ran  out; — the  doors  had  still  a  tremulous 
motion." 

" 1  groan  at  the  wickedness  and  infidelity  of 


LIFE   OF   HENRY    MARTYN.  113 

men,  and  seem  to  stretch  my  neck  every  way  to 
espy  a  righteous  man.  All  at  Dinapore  treat  the 
gospel  with  contempt ;  here  there  is  nothing  but 
infidelity." 

"  A  young  civilian,  who  some  time  ago  came  to 
me  desiring  satisfaction  on  the  evidences  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  to  whom  I  spoke  very  freely,  and  with 
some  regard,  as  I  could  not  doubt  his  sincerity,  now 
holds  me  up  to  ridicule.  Thus,  through  evil  report, 
we  go  on.  Oh !  my  brother  !  how  happy  I  feel, 
that  all  have  not  forsaken  Christ;  that  I  am  not 
Mi  alone  even  in  India.  '  Cast  thy  burden  on  the 
Lord,  and  he  shall  sustain  thee,'  is  the  text  I  carry 
about  with  me,  and  I  can  recommend  it  to  any 
body  as  an  infallible  preservative  from  the  fever  of 
anxiety." 

"  The  day  after  I  wrote  to  you  from  Bankipore, 
I  called  on  the  Nawaub,*  Babir  Ali  Khan,  cele^ 
brated  for  his  sense  and  liberality.  I  staid  two 
hours  with  him,  conversing  in  Persian,  but  badly. 
He  began  the  theological  discussion  by  requesting 
me  to  explain  necessity  and  free-will ;  I  instantly 
pleaded  ignorance.  He  gave  his  own  opinion  ;  on 
which  1  asked  him  for  his  proofs  of  the  religion  of 
Mohammed.  His  first  argument  was  the  eloquence 
of  the  Koran  ;  but  he  at  last  acknowledged  that  this 
was  insufficient.  I  then  brought  forward  a  passage 
*  Or  Nabob,  the  name  of  an  office. 
K2 


114  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN* 

or  two  in  the  Koran,  containing  sentiments  mani- 
festly false  and  foolish  ;  he  flourished  a  good  deal, 
but  concluded  by  saying,  that  I  must  wait  till  I 
could  speak  Persian  better,  and  had  read  their  logic. 
This  was  the  first  visit,  and  I  returned  highly  de- 
lighted with  his  sense,  candour,  and  politeness. 
Two  days  after  I  went  to  breakfast  with  him,  and 
conversed  with  him  in  Hindoostanee.  He  inquired 
what  are  the  principles  of  the  Christian  religion  ;  I 
began  with  the  atonement,  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
the  corruption  of  human  nature,  the  necessity  of 
regeneration,  and  a  holy  life.  He  seems  to  wish 
to  acquire  information,  but  discovers 'no  spiritual 
desire  after  the  truth." 

"I  mentioned  to  you  that  I  had  spoken  very 
plainly  to  the  women  last  Sunday,  on  the  delusions 
of  the  papists  :  yesterday  only  seven  came.  I  as- 
cribed it  to  what  I  had  said  ;  but  to-day  Sabat  tells 
me  that  they  pour  contempt  upon  it  all.  Sabat, 
instead  of  comforting  and  encouraging  me  in  my 
'disappointments  and  trials,  aggravates  my  pain  by 
contemptuous  expressions  of  the  perfect  inutility 
of  continuing  to  teach  them.  He  may  spare  his 
sarcastic  remarks ;  as  I  suppose,  after  another  Sun- 
day, none  at  all  will  come.  I  find  no  relief  but  in 
prayer :  to  God  I  can  tell  all  my  griefs,  ami  find 
comfort." 

"  One  day  this  week,  on  getting  up  in  the  morn 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  115 

ing,  I  was  attacked  with  a  very  serious  illness.  I 
thought  I  was  leaving  this  world  of  sorrow ;  and, 
praised  be  the  God  of  grace,  I  felt  no  fear.  The 
rest  oi  the  day  I  was  filled  with  sweet  peace  of  mind, 
and  had  near  access  to  God  in  prayer.  What  a 
debt  of  love  and  praise  do  we  owe  !  Yesterday  I 
attempted  to  examine  the  women  who  attended  (in 
number  about  thirty,)  in  Christian  knowledge  ;  they 
were  very  shy,  and  said  that  they  could  say  no 
prayers  but  in  Portuguese.  It  appears  that  they 
were  highly  incensed,  and  went  away,  saying  to 
Joseph,  '  We  know  a  great  deal  more  than  your 
priest  himself.1  The  services  much  weakened  me 
after  my  late  attack." 

"  The  men  are  fast  dying  in  the  hospital,  yet 
they  would  rather  be  sent  to  Patna  for  some  holy 
oil,  than  hear  the  word  of  eternal  life.  Two  or 
three  of  my  evening  hearers  are  in  the  hospital ; 
one  is  prepared  to  die  :  blessed  sight !  The  Per- 
sian of  St.  Mark  is  to  be  sent  to-morrow,  and  five 
chapters  of  Luke,  corrected.  There  is  no  news 
from  down  the  stream ;  but  always  glad  tidings  for 
us  from  the  world  above." 

The  following  is  from  a  letter  to  his  sister,  in 
England : 

"  I  am  sorry  that  I  have  not  good  accounts  to 
give  of  my  health ;  yet  no  danger  is  to  be  appre- 
hended. My  services  on  the  Lord's  day  always 


116  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

leave  me  a  pain  in  the  chest,  and  such  a  great  degree 
of  general  relaxation,  that  I  seldom  recover  from  it 
till  Tuesday.  A  few  days  ago  I  was  attacked  with 
a  fever,  which,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  lasted  but  two 
dayo.  I  am  now  well,  but  must  be  more  careful 
for  the  future.  In  this  debilitating  climate,  the 
mortal  tabernacle  is  frail  indeed :  my  mind  seems 
as  vigorous  as  ever,  but  my  delicate  frame  soon 
calls  for  relaxation ;  and  I  must  give  it,  though 
unwillingly ;  for  such  glorious  fields  for  exertion 
open  all  around,  that  I  could  with  pleasure  be 
employed  from  morning  to  night.  It  seems  a 
providential  circumstance,  that  the  work  at  present 
assigned  me  is  that  of  translation ;  for  had  I  gone 
through  the  villages,  preaching,  as  my  intention  led 
me  to  do,  I  fear  that  by  this  time  I  should  have 
been  in  a  deep  decline.  In  my  last  I  gave  you  a 
general  idea  of  my  employments.  The  society 
still  meet  every  night  at  my  quarters,  and  though 
we  have  lost  many  by  death,  others  are  raised  up 
in  their  room ;  one  officer,  a  lieutenant,  is  also  given 
to  me ;  and  he  is  not  only  a  brother  beloved,  but 
a  constant  companion  and  nurse  ;  so  you  must  feel 
no  apprehension  that  I  should  be  left  alone  in  sick- 
ness ;  neither  on  any  other  account  should  you  be 
uneasy.  You  know  that  we  must  meet  no  more 
in  this  life  :  therefore,  since  we  are,  as  I  trust,  both 
children  of  God  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  it  becomes 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  117 

a  matter  of  less  consequence  when  we  leave  this 
earth.  Of  the  spread  of  the  gospel  in  India,  I  can 
say  little,  because  I  hear  nothing.  Adieu,  my 
dearest  sister  :  let  us  live  in  constant  prayer,  for 
ourselves,  and  for  the  church." 

The  annexed  extracts  are  from  his  correspond- 
ence with  Messrs.  Corrie  and  Brown  : 

"  I  have  just  come  out  of  my  chapel,  where, 
with  my  little  flock,  I  have  once  more  resumed  my 
duties.  The  infrequency  of  my  appearance  among 
them  of  late  has  thinned  them  considerably ;  and 
this  effect,  which  I  foresaw,  is  one  of  the  most 
painful  and  lamentable  consequences  of  my  with- 
drawing from  them  ;  but  it  is  unavoidable,  if  I 
wish  to  prolong  my  life.  My  danger  is  from  the 
lungs  :  though  none  of  you  seem  to  apprehend 
it.  One  complete  service  at  church  does  more  to 
consume  my  strength  and  spirits  than  six  days 
of  the  hardest  study,  or  bodily  labour.  Pray  for 
me,  my  dear  brother,  that  I  may  neither  be  rash 
nor  indolent." 

"  You  mention  a  letter  enclosed,  but  none  came. 
The  intelligence,  however,  intended  to  be  conveyed 
by  it,  met  my  delighted  eyes.  Thomason  is  com- 
ing !  This  is  good.  Praise  be  to  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest,  for  sending  out  labourers  !  Behold  how 
the  prayers  of  the  society  at  Calcutta  have  been 
heard.  I  hope  they  will  continue  their  supplioa 


118  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYR. 

tion ;  for  we  want  more  yet,  and  it  may  please  God 
yet  further  to  bless  us.  You  cannot  leave  Calcutta 
by  the  middle  of  November,  and  must  therefore 
apply  for  one  month's  extension  of  leave.  But 
you  are  unwilling  to  leave  your  flock  ;  and  I  do  not 
wonder,  as  I  have  seen  my  sheep  grievously  dis- 
persed during  my  absence.  Uncertain  when  I  may 
come  amongst  them,  they  seldom  come  at  all,  ex- 
cept the  ten  or  twelve  who  meet  one  another.  My 
morning  congregation  increases  as  the  cold  weather 
advances,  and  yesterday  there  seemed  to  be  a  con- 
siderable impression.  I  spoke  in  a  low  tone  of 
voice,  and  therefore,  did  not  feel  much  fatigue  ; — 
after  the  Hindoostanee  service  I  was  very  weak ; 
but  at  night  tolerably  strong  again.  On  the  whole, 
my  expectations  of  life  return.  May  the  days  thus 
prolonged  be  entirely  His  who  continues  them  !  and 
may  my  work  not  only  move  on  delightfully,  but 
with  a  more  devout  and  serious  spirit !" 

"  Your  letter  from  Buxar  found  me  in  much  the 
same  spiritual  state,  as  you  describe  yourself  to  be 
in :  though  your  description,  no  doubt,  belongs 
more  properly  to  me.  I  no  longer  hesitate  to 
ascribe  my  stupor  and  formality,  to  its  right  cause  : 
unwatchfulness  in  worldly  company.  I  thought 
that  any  temptation  arising  from  the  society  of  the 
people  of  the  world,  at  least  of  such  as  vre  hav* 
had,  was  not  worthy  of  notice  :  but  I*  find  myself 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  119 

mistaken.  The  frequent  occasions  of  being  among 
them  of  late,  have  proved  a  snare  to  my  corrupt 
heart.  Instead  of  returning  with  a  more  elastic 
spring  to  severe  duties,  as  I  expected,  my  heart 
wants  more  idleness,  more  dissipation.  David 
Brainerd  in  the  wilderness, — what  a  contrast  to 
Henry  Martyn  !  But  God  be  thanked  that  a  start 
now  and  then  interrupts  the  slumber.  I  hope  to  be 
up  and  about  my  Master's  business ;  to  cast  off  the 
works  of  darkness,  and  to  be  spiritually-minded, 
which  alone  is  life  and  peace.  But  what  a  danger- 
ous country  it  is  that  we  are  in ;  hot  weather  or 
cold,  all  is  softness  and  luxury  ;  all  a  conspiracy  to 
lull  us  to  sleep  in  the  lap  of  pleasure.  While  we 
pass  over  this  enchanted  ground,  call,  brother,  ever 
and  anon,  and  ask  '  is  all  well  ?'  We  are  shepherds 
keeping  watch  over  our  flocks  by  night :  if  we  fall 
asleep  what  is  to  become  of  them  !" 

"  Last  Friday  we  had  the  happiness  and  honour 
of  finishing  the  four  gospels  in  Persian.  The  same 
evening  I  made  some  discovery  respecting  the 
Hebrew  verb,  but  was  unfortunately  so  much  de- 
lighted, that  I  could  not  sleep  ;  in  consequence  of 
which,  I  have  had  a  head-ache  ever  since.  Thus 
even  Intellectual  joys  are  followed  by  sorrow  :  not 
so  spiritual  ones.  I  pray  continually  that  order 
may  be  preserved  in  my  heart ;  that  I  may  esteem 
and  delight  most  in  that  work,  which  is  really  most 


120  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

estimable  and  delightful,  the  work  of  Christ  and 
his  apostles.  When  this  is  in  any  measure  the 
case,  it  is  surprising  how  clear  and  orderly  the 
thoughts  are  on  other  subjects.  I  am  still  a  good 
deal  in  the  dark  respecting  the  objects  of  my  pur- 
suit ;  but  have  so  far  an  insight,  that  I  read  both 
Hebrew  and  Arabic  with  increasing  pleasure  and 
satisfaction." 

"  I  scarcely  know  how  this  week  has  passed, 
nor  can  I  call  to  mind  the  circumstances  of  one 
single  day ;  so  absorbed  have  I  been  in  my  new 
pursuit.  I  remember,  however,  that  during  one 
night  I  did  not  sleep  a  wink.  Knowing  what 
would  be  the  consequence  the  next  day,  I  struggled 
hard,  and  turned  every  way,  that  my  mind  might 
be  diverted  from  what^was  before  it ; — but  all  in 
vain.  One  discovery  succeeded  another,  in  Hebrew, 
Arabic,  and  Greek,  so  rapidly,  that  I  was  some- 
times in  almost  ecstasy  ;  but  after  all,  I  have  moved 
but  a  step  :  you  may  scold  me  if  you  please,  but  i 
am  helpless.  I  do  not  turn  to  this  study  of  myself, 
but  it  turns  to  me,  and  draws  me  away  almost  irre- 
sistibly. Still  I  perceive  it  to  be  a  mark  of  a  fallen 
nature  to  be  so  carried  away  by  a  pleasure  merely 
intellectual ;  and,  therefore,  while  I  pray  for  the 
gifts  of  his  Spirit,  I  feel  the  necessity  of  being  still 
more  earnest  for  His  grace.  4  Whether  there  be 
tongues  they  shall  cease  ;  whether  there  be  know- 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYX.  121 

ledge,  it  shall  vanish  away ;  but  charity  never 
faileth.'  Yesterday  my  mind  was  mercifully  kept 
free  the  whole  day :  and  I  ministered  without  dis- 
traction, and  moreover  without  fatigue.  I  do  not 
know  when  I  have  found  myself  so  strong.  The 
state  of  the  air  affects  me  more  than  any  thing  else. 
On  Saturday,  I  completed  my  twenty-eighth  year. 
Shall  I  live  to  see  another  birth-day  ? — it  will  be 
better  ,to  suppose  not.  I  have  not  read  Faber  yet ; 
but  it  seems  evident  to  me  that  the  Xlth  of  Daniel, 
almost  the  whole  of  it,  refers  to  future  time.  But 
as  the  time  of  accomplishing  the  scriptures  draws 
on,  knowledge  shall  increase.  In  solemn  expecta- 
tion we  must  wait,  to  see  how  our  God  will  come. 
How  interesting  are  his  doings  !  We  feel  already 
some  of  that  rapture  wherewith  they  sing  above, 
'  Great  and  wonderful  are  thy  works,  Lord  God 
Almighty  !  just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  king 
of  saints!''' 

"  I  did  not  write  to  you  last  week,  because  I  was 
employed  night  and  day,  on  Monday  and  Tuesday, 
with  Sabat,  in  correcting  some  sheets  for  the  press. 
I  begin  my  letter,  now,  immediately  on  receiving 
yours  of  last  week.  T^he  account  of  your  com- 
plaint, as  you  may  suppose,  grieves  me  exceed- 
ingly ;  not  because  I  think  that  I  shall  outlive  you, 
but  because  your  useful  labours  must  be  reduced  to 
one  quarter  of  their  present  amount ;  and  that  you 
L 


122  LIFE  OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

may  perhaps  be  obliged  to  take  a  voyage  to  E  irope, 
which  involves  loss  of  time  and  money.  But,  O 
brother  beloved  !  what  is  life  or  death  ?  Nothing, 
to  the  believer  in  Jesus.  '  He  that  belie veth, 
though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live  ;  and  he 
that  liveth,  and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never  die. 
The  first  and  most  natural  effect  of  sickness,  as  I 
have  often  found,  is  to  cloud  and  terrify  the  mind. 
The  attention  of  the  soul  is  arrested  by  the  idea  of 
soon  appearing  in  a  new  world ;  and  a  sense  of 
guilt  is  felt,  before  faith  is  exercised  in  a  Redeemer  : 
and  for  a  time  this  will  predominate ;  for  the  same 
faith  that  would  overcome  fear  in  health,  must  be 
considerably  strengthened  to  have  the  same  ascend* 
ency  in  sickness.  I  trust  you  will  long  live  to  do 
the  work  of  your  Lord  Jesus.  My  discoveries  are 
all  at  an  end.  I  am  just  where  I  was  ;  in  perfect 
darkness,  and  tired  of  the  pursuit.  It  is,  however, 
likely  that  I  shall  be  constantly  speculating  on  the 
subject.  My  thirst  after  knowledge  is  very  strong ; 
but  I  pray  continually  that  the  Spirit  of  God  may 
hold  the  reins  ;  that  I  may  mind  the  work  of  God 
above  all  things ;  and  consider  all  things  else  as 
merely  occasional." 

The  preceding  extracts  show  the  progress  of 
Martyn  and  Sabat  in  their  translations,  the  debility 
of  Martyn's  health,  and  the  new  temptations  of 
study  which  were  presented  to  his  mind.  In  March 


LIFE    OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  123 

1809,  a  large  place  of  worship  was  opened,  but  he 
was  not  permitted  to  enjoy  many  services  in  it,  as 
he  was  sent  by  the  East  India  Company  to  be 
chaplain  at  Cawnpore,  almost  four  hundred  miles 
from  Dinapore,  and  seven  hundred  from  Calcutta. 
This  journey  he  performed  at  the  hottest  season  of 
the  year ;  for  two  days  and  nights  he  travelled 
without  stopping,  during  which  time  the  wind 
seemed  to  him  like  flames,  and  he  lay  in  his  pa- 
lanquin almost  insensible.  A  lady  of  Cawnpore, 
speaks  as  follows  of  his  tour : 

"  The  month  of  April,  in  the  upper  provinces  of 
Hindoostan,  is  one  of  the  most  dreadful  months  for 
travelling  throughout  the  year ;  indeed,  no  Euro- 
pean, at  that  time,  can  remove  from  place  to  place, 
but  at  the  hazard  of  his  life.  But  Mr.  Martyn  had 
that  anxiety  to  be  in  the  work  which  his  heavenly 
father  had  given  him  to  do,  that,  notwithstanding 
the  violent  heat,  he  travelled  from  Chunar  to  Cawn- 
pore, the  space  of  about  four  hundred  miles.  At 
that  time,  as  I  well  remember,  the  air  was  as  hot  and 
dry  as  that  which  I  have  sometimes  felt  near  the 
mouth  of  a  large  oven  ; — no  friendly  cloud,  or  ver 
dant  carpet  of  grass,  to  relieve  the  eye  from  the 
strong  glare  of  the  rays  of  the  sun,  pouring  on  the 
sandy  plains  of  the  Ganges.  Thus  Mr.  Martyn 
travelled,  journeying  night  and  day,  and  arrived  at 
Cawnpore  in  such  a  state,  that  he  fainted  away 


124  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

as  soon  as  he  entered  the  house.  When  we  charg- 
ed him  with  the  rashness  of  hazarding  his  life  in 
this  manner,  he  always  pleaded  his  anxiety  to  get 
to  the  great  work.  He  remained  with  us  ten  days, 
suffering  considerably  at  times  from  fever  and  pain 
in  the  chest." 

At  Cawnpore  there  was  no  church,  or  regular 
worship.  Soon  after  his  arrival,  Marty n  preached 
to  the  soldiers  in  the  open  air,  when,  such  was  the 
heat,  although  before  sunrise,  that  many  dropped 
down  as  they  stood  around  him  in  ranks.  He 
adopted  the  same  course  of  public  services  as  a* 
Dinapore,  and  continued  to  superintend  the  Arabic 
and  a  new  Persian  translation  of  the  New  Testa 
ment,  as  the  first  one  was  found  too  imperfect  for 
publication.  These  duties  occupied  his  whole  time, 
excepting  when  his  duties  occasionally  required 
him  to  take  journeys  to  distant  towns. 

Having  received  intelligence  of  the  fatal  illness 
of  his  only  sister,  the  last  tie  to  earthly  objects 
seems  to  have  been  broken.  "  What  is  there  now," 
he  exclaimed,  "  that  I  should  wish  to  live  for?  0 
what  a  barren  desert,  what  a  howling  wilderness, 
does  this  world  appear !  But  for  the  service  of 
God  and  his  church,  and  the  preparation  of  my 
own  soul,  I  do  not  know  that  I  would  wish  to  live 
another  day."  It  was  this  sister  who  first  attempt- 
ed to  draw  his  attention  to  religion  :  and  how  must 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  125 

he  now  have  looked  back  upon  the  day,  when,  as 
he  confessed,  the  sound  of  the  gospel  from  her  lips 
was  grating  to  his  ear ! 


CHAPTER  IX. 

t 

MR.  MARTYN  had  been  accustomed  to  give  alms 
to  a  number  of  the  poor  natives  ;  and  to  avoid  the 
frequent  interruption  of  his  studies,  which  their 
calls  occasioned,  he  fixed  a  time  for  them  to  come 
to  his  door.  As  a  great  number  of  wretched  be- 
ings was  thus  collected,  he  determined  to  embrace 
the  opportunity  of  attempting  to  preach  to  them. 
Of  his  first  address  to  them  he  has  left  this  ac- 
count : 

"  I  told  them,  after  requesting  their  attention, 
that  I  gave  with  pleasure  the  alms  I  could  afford, 
but  wished  to  give  them  something  better,  namely, 
eternal  riches,  or  the  knowledge  of  God,  which 
was  to  be  had  from  God's  word ;  and  then  produc- 
ing a  Hindoostanee  translation  of  Genesis,  read  the 
first  verse,  and  explained  it  word  by  word.  In  the 
beginning,  when  there  was  nothing,  no  heaven,  no 
earth,  but  only  God,  he  created  without  help,  for 
his  own  pleasure. — But  who  is  God  ?  One  so 
great,  so  good,  so  wise,  so  mighty,  that  none  can 
L2 


126  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

know  him  as  he  ought  to  know :  but  yet  we  must 
know  that  he  knows  us.  When  we  rise  up,  or  sit 
down,  or  go  out,  he  is  always  with  us. — He  created 
heaven  and  earth ;  therefore  every  thing  in  heaven 
—sun,  moon,  and  stars.  Therefore  how  should 
the  sun  be  God,  or  the  moon  be  fcod  ?  He  created 
every  thing  on  earth ;  therefore  Ganges  also :  there- 
fore how  should  Ganges  be  God  ?  Neither  are  they 
like  God.  If  a  shoemaker  make  a  pair  of  shoes,  are 
the  shoes  like  him  ?  If  a  man  make  an  image,  the 
image  is  not  like  man,  his  maker.  Infer  secondly, 
if  God  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth  for  you, 
and  made  the  meat  also  for  you,  will  he  not  also- 
feed  you  ?  Know  also,  that  he  that  made  heaven 
and  earth  can  destroy  them ; — and  will  do  it ;  there- 
fore fear  God,  who  is  so  great ;  and  love  God,  who 
is  so  good." 

"  I  bless  God,"  said  Mr.  Marty n,  "  for  helping 
me,  beyond  my  expectation.  Yet  still  my  corrupt 
heart  looks  forward  to  the  next  attempt  with  some 
dread." 

On  the  Sunday  after  this,  he  preached  to  at  least 
five  hundred  of  this  class. 

"  I  did  not,"  he  remarks,  "  succeed  so  well  as 
before ;  I  suppose  because  I  had  more  confidence 
in  myself,  and  less  in  the  Lord.  I  fear  they  did 
not  understand  me  well ;  but  the  few  sentences 
that  were  clear,  they  applauded.  Speaking  to  them 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 


127 


of  the  sea  and  rivers,  I  spoke  to  them  again  of  the 
Ganges,  that  it  was  no  more  than  other  rivers. 
God  loved  the  Hindoos, — but  he  loved  other  peo- 
ple too ;  and  whatever  river,  or  water,  or  other 
good  thing  he  gave  the  Hindoos,  he  gave  other 
people  also  :  for  all  are  alike  before  God.  Ganges 
therefore,  is  not  to  be  worshipped  ;  because,  so  far 
from  being  a  God,  it  is  not  better  than  other  rivers. 
In  speaking  of  the  earth  and  moon,  «  as  a  candle  in 
the  house,  so  is  the  sun,'  I  said,  '  in  the  heavens.' 
But  would  I  worship  a  candle  in  my  hand  ?  These 
were  nice  points  ;  I  felt  as  if  treading  on  tender 
ground,  and  was  almost  disposed  to  blame  myself 
for  imprudence.  I  thought,  that  amidst  the  silence 
these  remarks  produced,  I  heard  hisses  and  groans : 
but  a  few  Mohammedans  applauded." 

The  number  of  persons  on  these  occasions,  some- 
times amounted'  to  eight  hundred,  composed  of  Mo- 
hammedans and  Pagans.  And  though  it  was  na- 
tural for  them  to  be  very  respectful  and  attentive, 
n  the  supposition  that  their  ill  behaviour  might 
cause  Martyn  to  refuse  them  charity,  yet  it  was 
evident  that  many  were  really  interested  in  the  new 
doctrines  he  taught  them.  They  sometimes  made 
sensible  remarks  in  assent  to  what  he  declared ;  or 
kept  entire  silence,  as  if  deeply  thinking  on  it. 
They  were  very  much  moved,  at  one  time,  when, 
after  detailing  the  history  of  God's  judgment  on 


128  LIFE    OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

Sodom,  the  preacher  suddenly  applied  the  subject 
to  themselves — 

"  Do  you  too,"  he  said,  "  repent  of  your  sins, 
and  turn  to  God.  For  though  you  are  not  like 
the  men  of  Sodom, — God  forbid  ! — you  are  never- 
theless sinners.  Are  there  no  thieves,  railers, 
extortioners,  among  you  ?  Be  you  sure  that  God 
is  angry.  I  say  not  that  he  will  bum  your  town, 
but  that  he  will  bum  you.  Haste,  therefore,  out 
of  Sodom.  Sodom  is  the  world,  which  is  full 
of  sinners  and  sin.  Come  out,  therefore,  from 
amongst  them  ;  forsake  not  your  worldly  business, 
but  your  sinful  companions.  Do  not  be  like  the 
world,  lest  you  perish  with  them.  Do  not,  like 
Lot,  linger ;  say  not,  to-morrow  we  will  repent, 
lest  you  never  see  to-morrow  ;  repent  to-day. 
Then,  as  Lot,  seated  on  the  hill,  beheld  the  flames 
in  safety,  you  also,  sitting  on  the  hills  of  heaven, 
shall  behold  the  ruins  of  the  world  without  fear." 

But  his  health  beginning  to  suffer,  from  his  la- 
bours and  the  heat  of  the  climate,  he  was,  with 
great  reluctance,  compelled  to  give  up  this  portion 
of  his  services.  He  wrote  to  his  friend,  Mr. 
Simeon,  "  I  read  your  letter,  of  6th  of  July,  1809, 
cautioning  me  against  over-exertion,  with  the  con- 
fidence of  one  who  had  nothing  to  fear.  This  was 
only  three  weeks  ago.  Since  the  last  Lord's  day, 
your  kind  advice  was  brought  home  to  my  mind, 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  12$ 

accompanied  with  painful  regret  that  T  had  not  paid 
more  attention  to  it.  My  work  last  Sunday  was 
not  more  than  usual,  but  far  too  much  for  me,  I  can 
perceive.  First,  service  to  his  Majesty's  fifty-third 
regiment,  in  the  open  air ;  then  at  head-quarters  ; 
in  the  afternoon,  preached  to  eight  hundred  natives ; 
at  night,  to  my  little  flock  of  Europeans.  Which 
of  these  can  I  forego  ?  The  ministration  of  the 
natives  might  be  in  the  week  :  but  I  wish  to  attach 
the  idea  of  holiness  to  the  Sunday.  My  evening 
congregation,  on  Sunday,  is  attended  by  twice  as 
many  as  in  the  week-day ;  so  how  can  I  let  this 
go?" 

He  was  assisted  for  some  time  by  Mr.  Corrie, 
from  Calcutta,  and  once  more  attempted  to  address 
the  beggars  ;  but  his  weakness,  and  other  symp- 
toms of  declining  health,  increased  so  much,  that  it 
became  necessary  for  him  to  leave  Cawnpore.  At 
first,  he  determined  to  visit  England  for  a  short 
time,  thinking  that  he  could  there  best  renew  his 
strength ;  but  he  afterwards  concluded  to  visit  Per- 
sia and  Arabia,  that  he  might  collect  the  opinions 
of  the  learned  natives,  respecting  the  accuracy  of 
the  translation  of  the  New  Testament  into  those 
tongues,  the  first  of  which  wras  supposed  to  be 
written  in  a  style  not  likely  to  be  understood  by 
the  common  people,  and  therefore  not  yet  publish- 
ed, and  the  last  being  still  unfinished. 


130  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

Or  the  first  of  October,  1810,  he  left  Cawnpore 
for  this  purpose,  thus  connecting  the  pursuit  of 
health  with  his  great  missionary  enterprise.  As 
at  Dinapore,  he  left  this  station  just  as  a  new 
church  was  completed,  in  which  he  had  the  hap- 
piness of  preaching  the  first  sermon,  the  day  be- 
fore his  departure.  On  his  voyage  down  the 
Ganges  to  Aldeen,  he  visited  the  part  of  the  army 
he  had  before  served ;  but  most  of  those  of  whom 
he  had  cherished  the  strongest  hopes,  had  neglect- 
ed his  warnings,  and  were  ashamed  to  see  him. 
Nine  only  came  to  his  boat,  where  he  sang,  pray- 
ed with,  and  exhorted  them.  At  Aldeen  and  Cal- 
cutta, he  enjoyed  the  society  of  his  dear  friends, 
the  missionaries,  and  preached  frequently,  though 
exceedingly  weak.  One  of  his  sermons  was  an  ap- 
peal to  the  Europeans,  on  behalf  of  the  nine  hun- 
dred thousand  natives  of  India,  who  possessed 
Christianity  in  some  form,  but  were  destitute  of  the 
Scriptures ;  "  many  of  them,"  as  he  said,  "  relaps- 
ing fast  to  idolatry,  and  already,  indeed,  little  better 
than  heathens." 

"  Mention  not  their  meanness ;  it  is  yours  to 
raise  them  from  degradation.  Despise  not  their 
inferiority,  nor  reproach  them  for  their  errors  ;  they 
cannot  get  a  Bible  to  read.  Had  they  been  blessed 
with  your  advantages,  they  would  have  been,  per- 
haps, more  worthy  of  your  respect.  It  has  been 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  131 

said  with  too  much  truth,  that  they  scarcely  deserve 
the  name  of  Christians.  How  is  it  possible  that  it 
should  be  otherwise,  without  the  Bible,  when  it  is 
considered  how  little  oral  instruction  they  receive." 
The  sermon  concluded  with  this  address : 

4 'Imagine  the  sad  situation  of  a  sick  or  dying 
Christian,  who  has  just  heard  enough  of  eternity 
to  be  afraid  of  death,  and  not  enough  of  a  Saviour 
to  look  beyond  it  with  hope.  He  cannot  call  for  a 
Bible  to  look  for  something  to  support  him,  or  ask 
his  wife  or  child  to  read  him  a  consolatory  chapter. 
The  Bible,  alas  !  is  a  treasure  which  they  never 
had  the  happiness  to  possess.  0  pity  their  distress, 
you  that  have  hearts  to  feel  for  the  miseries  of  your 
fellow  creatures ;  you  that  have  discernment  to  see, 
that  a  wounded  spirit  is  far  more  agonizing  than  any 
earth-begotten  woes ;  you  that  know  that  you  too 
must  one  day  die,  0  give  unto  him  what  may  com- 
fort him  in  a  dying  hour.  The  Lord,  who  loves 
our  brethren,  who  gave  his  life  for  them  and  for 
you,  who  gave  you  the  Bible  before  them,  and  now 
wills  that  they  should  receive  it  from  you,  he  will 
reward  you.  They  cannot  recompense  you,  but 
you  shall  be  recompensed  at  the  resurrection  of  the 
just.  The  King  himself  will  say  to  you,  '  inas- 
much as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  oi% 
these,  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me." 

This  sermon  was  printed  in  Calcutta,  and  con 


132  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYff. 

tributed  essentially  to  the  institution  of  the  Calcut- 
ta Bible  Society,  and  the  liberal  support  it  received. 

His  last  discourse  was  in  January  1811,  from 
the  words  of  our  Saviour,  "  One  thing  is  needful;" 
after  which  he  left  India,  never  more  to  return, 
though  hoping  to  recover  his  health  and  spend  the 
remainder  of  his  life  there. 

"  I  now  pass,"  he  wrote,  "  from  India  to  Ar$ 
bia,  not  knowing  the  things  that  shall  befall  me 
there,  but  assured  that  an  ever-faithful  God  and  Sa- 
viour will  be  with  me  in  all  places,  whithersoever 
I  go.  May  he  guide  me  and  protect  me,  and  after 
prospering  me  in  the  thing  whereunto  I  go,  bring 
me  back  again  to  my  delightful  work  in  India.  I 
am  perhaps  leaving  it  to  see  it  no  more  ;  but  the 
will  of  God  be  done ;  my  times  are  in  his  hand, 
and  he  will  cut  them  as  short  as  shall  be  most  for 
my  good :  and  with  this  assuraiite,  I  feel  that  no- 
thing need  interrupt  my  work  or  my  peace." 

His  passage  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  Hoogley, 
on  which  Calcutta  is  shifted,  to  Shiraz,  the  capi- 
tal of  Persia,  occupied  five  months.  The  particu- 
lars, which  are  worthy  of  notice,  are  given  in  his 
own  words. 

"  Bay  of  Bengal,  January,  1811. 

"  I  took  a  passage  in  the  ship  Ahmoody,  Cap- 
tain Kinsay,  bound  to  Bombay.  One  of  my  fellow 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTTN.  133 

passengers  was  the  Honourable  Mr.  Elphinstone 
who  was  proceeding  to  take  the  Residency  of 
Poonah.  His  agreeable  manners  and  classical  ac- 
quirements, made  me  think  myself  fortunate  in- 
deed, in  having  such  a  companion,  and  I  found  his 
company  the  most  agreeable  circumstance  in  my 
voyage. 

"  Our  captain  was  a  pupil  of  Swartz,*  of  whom 
he  communicated  many  interesting  particulars. — 
Swartz,  with  KolhofF  and  Jcenicke,  kept  a  school 
for  half-caste  children,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
Tanjore ;  but  went  every  night  to  the  Tanjore 
church,  to  meet  about  sixty  or  seventy  of  the  king's 
regiment,  who  assembled  for  devotional  purposes : 
after  which  he  officiated  to  their  wives  and  children 
in  Portuguese.  At  the  school,  Swartz  used  to  read, 
in  the  morning,  out  of  the  German  '  Meditation  for 
every  day  in  the  year ;'  at  night,  he  had  family 
prayer.  Jcenicke  taught  geography  ;  Kolhoff,  writ- 
ing and  arithmetic.  They  had  also  masters  in 
Persian  and  Malabar. 

"  At  the  time  when  the  present  Rajah  was  in 
danger  of  his  life,  from  the  usurper  of  his  uncle's 
throne i  Swartz  used  to  sleep  in  the  same  room 
with  him.  This  was  sufficient  protection,  *  for 
(said  the  captain,)  Swartz  was  considered  by  the 

*  The  life  of  this  missionary  has  been  published  by  the 
American  Sunday  School  Union. 

M 


134  LIFE   OF  H£\RY  MARTYN. 

natives  as  something  more  than  mortal.'  The  old 
Rajah,  at  his  death,  committed  his  nephew  to 
Swartz." 

"Jan.  27th  to  31. — Generally  unwell.  In  pray- 
er, my  views  of  my  Saviour  have  been  inexpressi- 
bly consolatory.  How  glorious  the  privilege  that  we 
exist  but  in  him  ;  without  him  I  lose  the  principle 
of  life,  and  am  left  to  the  power  of  native  corrup- 
tion,— a  rotten  branch,  a  dead  thing,  that  none  can 
make  use  of.  This  mass  of  corruption,  when  it 
meets  the  Lord,  changes  its  nature,  and  lives 
throughout,  and  is  regarded  by  God  as  a  member 
of  Christ's  body.  This  is  my  bliss,  that  Christ  is 
all.  Upheld  by  him,  I  smile  at  death.  It  is  no 
longer  a  question  about  my  own  worthiness.  I 
glory  in  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"  Feb.  18th. — Anchored  at  Bombay. — This  day 
I  finished  the  thirtieth  year  of  my  unprofitable  life ; 
the  age  at  which  David  Brainerd  finished  his 
course.  I  am  now  at  the  age  at  which  the  Saviour 
of  men  began  his  ministry,  and  at  which  John  the 
Baptist  called  a  nation  to  repentance.  Let  me  now 
think  for  myself,  and  act  with  energy.  Hitherto 
I  have  made  my  youth  and  insignificance  an  excuse 
for  sloth  and  imbecility  :  now  let  me  have  a  cha- 
racter, and  act  boldly  for  God." 

"  Feb.  24th. — Preached  at  the  Bombay  church." 

"  March  25th. — Embarked   on  board  the  Be- 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  135 

nares,  Captain  Sealy  ;  who,  in  company  with  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  Captain  Hepburn,  was  ordered  to 
cruise  in  the  Persian  Gulf,  against  the  Arab  pirates. 
We  got  under  way  immediately,  and  were  outside 
the  land  before  night." 

"  March  31. — The  European  part  of  the  ship's 
crew,  consisting  of  forty-five  sailors  and  twelve  ar- 
tillerymen, were  assembled  on  the  quarter-deck  to 
hear  divine  service.  I  wondered  to  see  so  many 
of  the  seamen  inattentive ;  but  I  afterwards  found 
that  most  of  them  were  foreigners,  French,  Span- 
ish, Portuguese,  &c.  We  had  prayers  in  the  cabin 
every  night.  In  the  afternoon  I  used  to  read  to  a 
sick  man  below,  and  two  or  three  othf-rs  would 
come  to  hear." 

"  April  2\. — Anchored  at  Muscat,  in  Arabia 

"  May  22. — Landed  at  Bushire." 

"  On  30th  of  May,  our  Persian  dresses  were 
ready,  and  we  set  out  for  Shiraz.  The  Persian  dress 
consists  of,  first,  stockings  and  shoes  in  one ;  next, 
a  pair  of  large  blue  trowsers,  or  else  a  pair  of  huge 
red  boots  ;  then  the  shirt,  then  the  tunic,  and  above 
it  the  coat,  both  of  chintz,  and  a  great  coat.  I  have 
here  described  my  own  dress,  most  of  which  I 
have  on  at  this  moment.  On  the  head  is  worn  an 
enormous  cone,  made  of  the  skin  of  the  black  Tar 
tar  sheep,  with  the  wool  on.  If  to  this  description 
of  my  dress,  I  add,  that  my  beard  and  mustachios 


136  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

have  been  suffered  to  grow  undisturbed  ever  since 
I  left  India,  that  I  am  sitting  on  a  Persian  carpet, 
in  a  room  without  tables  or  chairs,  and  that  I  bury 
my  hand  in  the  dish,  without  waiting  for  spoon  or 
plate,  you  will  give  me  credit  for  being  already  an 
accomplished  oriental." 

"  At  sunrise  we  came  to  our  ground  at  Ahmedee, 
and  pitched  our  little  tent  under  a  tree  ;  it  was  the 
only  shelter  we  could  get.  At  first  the  heat  was 
not  greater  than  we  had  felt  in  India,  but  it  soon 
became  so  intense  as  to  be  quite  alarming.  When 
the  thermometer  was  above  112°,  fever  heat,  I  be- 
gan to  lose  my  strength  fast;  at  last,  it  became 
quite  intolerable.  I  wrapped  myself  up  in  a  blanket, 
and  all  the  warm  covering  I  could  get,  to  defend 
myself  from  the  external  air ;  by  which  means  the 
moisture  was  kept  a  little  longer  upon  the  body,  and 
not  so  speedily  evaporated  as  when  the  skin  was 
exposed :  one  of  my  companions  followed  my  ex- 
ample, and  found  the  benefit  of  it.  But  the  ther- 
mometer still  rising,  and  the  moisture  of  the  body 
being  quite  exhausted,  I  grew  restless,  and  thought 
I  should  have  lost  my  senses.  The  thermometer 
at  last  stood  at  126° ;  in  this  state  I  composed  my- 
self, and  concluded  that  though  I  might  hold  out  a 

day  or  two,  death  was  inevitable.     Captain  , 

who  sat  it  out,  continued  to  tell  the  hour  and  height 
of  the  thermometer :  and  with  what  pl*a«urr  did 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  137 

we  hear  of  its  sinking  to  120°,  118°,  &c.  At  last 
the  fierce  sun  retired,  and  I  crept  out,  more  dead 
than  alive.  It  was  then  a  difficulty  how  I  could 
proceed  on  my  journey  ;  for  besides  the  immediate 
effects  of  the  heat,  I  had  no  opportunity  of  making 
up  for  the  last  night's  want  of  sleep,  and  had  eaten 
nothing.  However,  while  they  were  loading  the 
mules  I  got  an  hour's  sleep,  and  set  out,  the  mule- 
teer leading  my  horse,  and  Zachariah,  my  servant, 
an  Armenian,  of  Isfahan,,  doing  all  in  his  power  to 
encourage  me.  The  cool  air  of  the  night  restored 
me  wonderfully,  so  that  I  arrived  at  our  next  stop- 
ping place,  with  no  other  derangement  than  that 
occasioned  by  want  of  sleep.  Expecting  another 
such  day  as  the  former,  we  began  to  make  prepara- 
tion the  instant  we  arrived  on  the  ground.  I  got  a 
shelter  made  of  the  branches  of  the  date  tree,  and 
a  Persian  peasant  to  water  it ;  by  this  means  the 
thermometer  did  not  rise  higher  than  114°.  But 
what  completely  secured  me  from  the  heat,  was  a 
large  wet  towel,  which  I  wrapped  round  my  head 
and  body,  muffling  up  the  lower  part  in  clothes. 
How  could  I  but  be  grateful  to  a  gracious  Provi- 
dence, for  giving  me  so  simple  a  defence  against 
what,  I  am  persuaded,  would  have  destroyed  my 
life  that  day.  We  took  care  not  to  go  without 
nourishment,  as  we  had  done  ;  the  neighbouring 
village  supplied  us  with  curds  and  milk.  At  sunset, 

Mi 


138  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

rising  up  to  go  out,  a  scorpion  fell  upon  my  clothes ; 
not  seeing  where  it  fell,  I  did  not  know  what  it 

was ;  but  Captain pointing  it  out,   gave  the 

alarm,  and  I  struck  it  off,  and  he  killed  it.  The 
night  before,  we  found  a  black  scorpion  in  our  tent ; 
this  made  us  rather  uneasy ;  so  that,  although  we 
did  not  start  till  midnight,  we  got  no  sleep,  fearing 
we  might  be  visited  by  another  scorpion. 

"  The  next  morning  we  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains.  A  strong  suffocating  smell  of  naphtha,* 
announced  something  more  than  ordinarily  foul  in 
the  neighbourhood.  We  saw  a  river ;  what  flowed 
in  it,  it  seemed  difficult  to  say,  whether  it  was  wa- 
ter, or  green  oil ;  it  scarcely  moved,  and  the  stones 
which  it  laved,  it  left  of  a  greyish  colour,  as  if  its 
foul  touch  had  given  them  the  leprosy.  Our  place 
of  encampment  this  day  was  fa  grove  of  date  trees. 
I  threw  myself  down  on  the  burning  ground,  and 
slept :  when  the  tent  came  up,  I  awoke,  as  usual, 
in  a  burning  fever.  All  this  day,  I  had  recourse  to 
a  wet  towel,  which  kept  me  alive,  but  would  alloAV 
of  no  sleep.  It  was  a  sorrowful  sabbath  ;  but  Cap- 
tain   read  a  few  hymns,  in  which  I  found  great 

consolation.  At  nine  in  the  evening  we  decamped. 
The  ground  and  air  were,  so  insufferably  hot,  that 
I  could  not  travel  without  a  wet  towel  round  my 

*  A  substance  like  liquid  pitch,  supposed  to  be  produced  by 
subterranean  fire. 


LIFE  OF  HEXRY  MARTYN.          139 

face  and  neck.  This  night,  for  the  first  time,  we 
began  to  ascend  the  mountains.  The  road  often 
passed  so  close  to  the  edge  of  the  tremendous  pre- 
cipices, that  one  false  step  of  the  horse  would  have 
plunged  his  rider  into  inevitable  destruction.  In 
such  circumstances,  I  found  it  useless  to  attempt 
guiding  the  animal,  and  therefore  gave  him  the  rein. 
These  poor  animals  are  so  used  to  jpurneys  of  this 
sort,  that  they  generally  step  sure.  There  was 
nothing  to  mark  the  road,  but  the  rocks  being  a 
little  more  worn  in  one  place  than  in  another. 
Sometimes  my  horse,  which  led  the  way,  as  being 
the  muleteer's,  stopped,  as  if  to  consider  about  the 
way :  for  myself,  I  could  not  guess,  at  such  times, 
where  the  road  lay  ;  but  he  always  found  it.  The 
sublime  scenery  would  have  impressed  me  much, 
in  other  circumstances  :  but  my  sleepiness  and  fa- 
tigue rendered  me  insensible  to  every  thing  around 
me.  At  last  we-  emerged,  not  on  the  top  of  a  moun- 
tain, to  go  down  again, — but  to  a  plain,  or  upper 
world." 

"  We  rode  briskly  over  the  plain,  breathing  a 
purer  air,  and  soon  came  in  sight  of  a  fair  edifice, 
built  by  the  king  of 'the  country  for  the  refreshment 
of  pilgrims.  In  this  caravansera  we  took  up  our 
abode  for  the  day.  It  was  more  calculated  for 
eastern,  than  European  travellers,  having  no  means 
of  keeping  out  the  air  and  light.  We  found  the 


140  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

thermometer  at  110°.  At  the  passes  we  met  a  man 
travelling  down  to  Bushire,  with  a  load  of  Ice, 
which  he  willingly  disposed  of  to  us.  The  next 
night  we  ascended  another  range  of  mountains, 
and  passed  over  a  plain,  where  the  cold  was  so 
piercing,  that  with  all  the  clothes  we  could  muster, 
we  were  shivering.  At  the  end  of  this  plain,  we 
entered  a  dark  valley,  contained  by  two  ranges  of 
hills,  approaching  one  another.  The  muleteer  gave 
notice  that  he  saw  robbers.  It  proved  to  be  a  false 
alarm  ;  but  the  place  was  fitted  to  be  a  retreat  for 
robbers ;  there  being  on  each  side  caves  and  fast- 
nesses from  which  they  might  have  killed  every 
man  of  us.  After  ascending  another  mountain,  we 
descended  by  a  very  long  and  circuitous  route  into 
an  extensive  valley,  where  we  were  exposed  to  the 
sun  till  eight  o'clock.  Whether  from  the  sun,  or 
from  continued  want  of  sleep,  I  could  not,  on  my 
arrival  at  Carzeroon,  compose  myself  to  sleep  ; 
there  seemed  to  be  a  fire  within  my  head,  my  skin 
like  a  cinder,  and  the  pulse  violent.  Through  the 
day  it  was  again  too  hot  to  sleep,  though  the  place 
we  occupied  was  a  sort  of  summer-house,  in  a  gar- 
den of  cypress-trees,  exceedingly  well  fitted  up 
with  mats  and  coloured  glass.  Had  the  caravan 
gone  on  that  night,  I  could  not  have  accompanied 
it ;  but  it  halted  here  a  day,  by  which  means  I  got 
a  sort  of  night's  rest,  though  I  woke  twenty  times 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  141 

to  dip  my  burning"  hands  in  water.  Though  Gar- 
zeroon  is  the  second  greatest  town  in  Fars,  we 
could  get  nothing  but  bread,  milk,  and  eggs,  and 
those  with  difficulty." 

"  June  7th. — The  hours  we  were  permitted  to 
rest,  the  musquitoes  had  effectually  prevented  me 
from  using  ;  so  that  I  never  felt  more  miserable 
and  disordered  ;  the  cold  was  very  severe  ;  for  fear 
of  falling  off,  from  sleep  and  numbness,  I  walked  a 
good  part  of  the  way.  We  pitched  our  tent  in  the 
vale  of  Dustarjan,  near  a  crystal  stream  ;  the 
whole  valley  was  one  green  field,  in  which  large 
herds  of  cattle  were  browsing.  The  temperature 
was  about  that  of  spring  in  England.  Here  a  few 
hours  sleep  recovered  me,  in  some  degree,  from 
the  stupidity  in  which  I  had  been  for  some  days. 
I  awoke  with  a  light  heart,  and  said,  '  He  knoweth 
our  frame,  and  remembereth  we  are  dust.  He  re- 
deemeth  our  life  from  destruction,  and  crowneth 
us  with  loving  kindness  and  tender  mercies.  He 
maketh  us  to  lie  down  on  the  green  pastures,  and 
leadeth  us  beside  the  still  waters.  And  when  we 
have  left  this  vale  of  tears,  there  is  no  more  sorrow, 
nor  sighing,  nor  any  more  pain.  The  sun  shall 
not  light  upon  thee,  nor  any  heat ;  but  the  Lamb 
shall  lead  thee  to  living  fountains  of  waters.' 

"  June  8th. — Went  on  to  a  caravansera,  where 
we  passed  the  day.  At  night  set  out  upon  our  last 


142  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

march  for  Shiraz.  Sleepiness,  my  old  companion 
and  enemy,  again  overtook  me.  I  was  in  perpetual 
danger  of  falling  off  my  horse,  till  at  last  I  pushed 
on  to  a  considerable  distance,  planted  my  back 
against  a  wall,  and  slept,  I  know  not  how  long,  till 
the  good  muleteer  came  up,  and  gently  waked  me." 


CHAPTER  X. 

HE  arrived  the  next  morning  at  Shiraz,  the  capi- 
tal of  the  Persian  empire.  His  first  object  was  to 
ascertain  from  those  best  skilled  in  the  language, 
how  well  Sabat's  Persian  translation  would  be  un- 
derstood by  the  people.  Finding  that  their  opinion 
was  against  it,  he,  in  a  little  more  than  a  week  af- 
ter his  arrival,  undertook  the  task  anew,  with  the 
assistance  of  Mirza  Seid  Ali  Khan,  who  belonged 
to  the  sect  called  Soofees.  Whilst  engaged  in  this 
work,  he  was  visited  constantly  by  learned  Per- 
sians, who  argued  with  him  respecting  the  Christian 
religion  and  Mohammedism.  But  their  prejudices 
in  favour  of  their  sensual  creed  were  too  strong  to 
yield  to  mere  arguments.  Some  of  them  were  Jews 
who  had  become  Mussulmans ;  a  very  frequent 
change,  as  every  such  convert  is  rewarded  with  a 
new  dress,  by  the  prince. — The  condition  of  these 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  143 

wandering  descendants  of  Abraham,  greatly  excited 
nis  sympathy.  On  one  occasion  "  while  walking 
in  the  garden,  in  some  disorder  from  vexation,  two 
Mussulman  Jews  came  up,  and  asked  me  what 
would  become  of  them  in  another  world  ?  the  Mo- 
hammedans were  right  in  their  way,  tney  supposed, 
and  we  in  ours  ;  but  what  must  they  expect  ?  After 
rectifying  their  mistake  as  to  the  Mohammedans,  I 
mentioned  two  or  three  reasons  for  believing  that 
we  are  right :  such  as  their  dispersion,  and  the  ces- 
sation of  sacrifices,  immediately  on  the  appearance 
of  Jesus.  '  True,  true,'  they  said,  with  great  feeling 
and  seriousness  ;  indeed,  they  seemed  disposed  to 
yield  assent  to  any  thing  I  said.  They  confessed 
they  had  become  Mohammedans  only  on  compul- 
sion; and  that  Abdoolghunee  wished  to  go  to  Bag- 
dad, thinking  he  might  throw  off  the  mask  there  with 
safety  ;•— but  asked,  what  I  thought?  I  said  that 
the  governor  was  a  Mohammedan.  '  Did  I  think  Sy- 
ria safer  ?'  '  The  safest  place  in  the  east,'  I  said, 
'  was  India.'  Feelings  of  pity  for  God's  ancient 
people,  and  having  the  awful  importance  of  eternal 
things  impressed  on  my  mind,  by  the  seriousness 
of  their  inquiries  as  to  what  would  become  of  them, 
relieved  me  from  the  pressure  of  my  comparatively 
insignificant  distresses.  I,  a  poor  Gentile,  blest, 
honoured,  and  loved,  secured  for  ever  by  the  ever- 
lasting covenant,  whilst  the  children  of  the  king- 


144  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTY3S. 

dom  are  still  lying  in  outward  darkness !  Well 
does  it  become  me  to  be  thankful." 

Mr.  Martyn  did  not  discourage  the  love  of  dispu- 
tation manifested  by  the  natives,  hoping  it  might 
open  the  way  for  impressing  the  truth,  and  finding 
that  his  assistant  had  already  become  interested  in 
the  gospel  history.  But  in  consequence  of  his  re- 
moving from  the  city  to  the  suburbs,  that  he  might 
enjoy  a  pleasant  garden  and  a  purer  air,  he  was  not 
so  much  in  the  way  of  interruption,  and  his  visiters 
became  less  numerous.  In  that  retirement,  by  the 
side  of  a  clear  stream,  and  amidst  vines  and  orange 
trees,  he  devoted  himself  constantly  to  the  com- 
pletion of  his  important  task. 

The  curiosity  and  interest  with  which  the  mis- 
sionary was  regarded,  was  not  confined  to  a  few 
private  individuals  of  Shiraz.  The  Professor  of 
Mohammedan  law  agreed  to  hold  a  public  dispute 
with  him,  and  we  abridge  the  account  of  the  meet- 
ing as  given  by  Mr.  Martyn,  that  our  readers  may 
have  an  idea  of  the  kind  of  arguments  used  in  fa- 
vour of  the  imposture  of  Mohammed,  and  against 
the  truth  of  the  gospel. 

"  He  talked  for  a  full  hour  about  the  soul :  its  be- 
ing distinct  from  the  body,  superior  to  the  brutes, 
&c. ;  about  God,  his  unity,  invisibility,  and  other  ob- 
vious and  acknowledged  truths.  After  this  follow- 
ed another  discourse.  At  length,  after  clearing  his 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  145 

way  for  miles  around,  he  said,  '  that  philosophers 
had  proved,  that  a  single  being  could  produce  but 
a  single  being ;  that  the  first  thing  God  had  created 
was  Wisdom, — a  being  perfectly  one  with  him  ;  af- 
ter that,  the  souls  of  men,  and  the  seventh  heaven  ; 
and  so  on,  till  he  produced  matter,  which  is  merely 
passive.'  He  illustrated  the  theory,  by  comparing 
all  being  to  a  circle  :  at  one  extremity  of  the  diame- 
ter is  God,  at  the  opposite  extremity  of  the  diame- 
ter is  matter,  than  which,  nothing  in  the  world  is 
meaner.  Rising  from  thence,  the  highest  stage  of 
matter  is  connected  with  the  lowest  stage  of  vege- 
tation; the  highest  of  the  vegetable  world,  with 
the  lowest  of  the  animal,  and  so  on,  till  we  ap- 
proach the  point  from  which  all  proceeded.  '  But,' 
said  he,  '  you  will  observe,  that  next  to  God,  some- 
thing ought  to  be,  which  is  equal  to  God  ;  for  since 
it  is  equally  near,  it  possesses  equal  dignity.  What 
this  is,  philosophers  are  not  agreed  upon.  You,' 
said  he,  '  say  it  is  Christ :  but  we,  that  it  is  the 
Spirit  of  the  Prophets.  All  this  is  what  the  phi- 
losophers have  proved,  independently  of  any  par- 
ticular religion.'  There  were  a  hundred  things  in 
the  Professor's  harangue,  that  might  have  been 
excepted  against,  as  mere  dreams,  supported  by  no 
evidence  ;  but  I  had  no  inclination  to  call  in  ques- 
tion dogmas,  on  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  which, 
nothing  in  religion  depended. 
N 


146  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYX. 

"  The  Professor,  at  the  close  of  one  of  his  long 
speeches,  said  to  me,  '  You  see  how  much  there  is 
to  be  said  on  these  subjects  ;  several  visits  will  be 
necessary  ;  we  must  come  to  the  point  by  degrees.' 
Perceiving  how  much  he  dreaded  a  close  discus- 
sion, I  did  not  mean  to  hurry  him,  but  let  him  talk 
on,  not  expecting  we  should  have  any  thing  about 
Mohammedism  the  first  night.  But  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  the  Jew,  I  said,  '  Sir,  you  see  that  Abdool- 
ghunee  is  anxious  that  you  should  say  .something 
about  Islam.'*  He  was  much  displeased  at  being 
brought  so  prematurely  to  the  weak  point,  but 
could  not  decline  accepting  so  direct  a  challenge. 
*  Well,'  said  he  to  me,  *  I  must  ask  you  a  few 
questions.  Why  do  you  believe  in  Christ?' — He 
then  enumerated  the  persons  who  had  spoken  of  the 
miracles  of  Mohammed,  and  told  a  long  story  about 
Salmon,  the  Persian,  who  had  come  to  Mohammed 
1  asked,  « whether  this  Salmon  had  written  an  ac- 
count of  the  miracles  he  had  seen  ?'  He  confessed 
that  he  had  not.  '  Nor,'  said  I,  '  have  you  a  single 
witness  to  the  miracles  of  Mohammed.'  He  then 
tried  to  show,  that  though  they  had  not,  there  was 
still  sufficient  evidence.  '  For,'  said  he,  *  suppose 
five  hundred  persons  should  say  that  they  heard 
some  particular  thing  of  a  hundred  persons  who 

*  Another  name  for  Mohammedism,  signifying  the  state  of  sal' 
vatiun 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  147 

were  with  Mohammed, — would  that  be  sufficient 
evidence,  or  not  ?'  '  Whether  it  be  or  not,'  said  I, 
'  you  have  no  such  evidence  as  that,  nor  any  thing 
like  it ;  but  if  you  have,  as  they  are  something  like 
witnesses,  we  must  proceed  to  examine  them,  and 
see  whether  their  testimony  deserves  credit.' 

"  After  this,  the  Koran  was  mentioned ;  but  as 
the  company  began  to  thin,  and  the  great  man  had 
not  a  sufficient  audience  before  whom  to  display 
his  eloquence,  the  dispute  was  not  so  brisk.  He 
did  not,  indeed,  seem  to  think  it  worth  while  to 
notice  my  objections.  He  mentioned  a  well  known 
sentence  in  the  Koran,  as  being  inimitable.  I  pro- 
duced another  sentence,  and  begged  to  know  why 
it  was  inferior  to  the  Koranic  one.  He  declined 
saying  why,  under  pretext  that  it  required  such 
a  knowledge  of  rhetoric,  in  order  to  understand 
his  proofs,  as  I  probably  did  not  possess.  A 
scholar  afterwards  came  to  Seid  Ali,  with  twenty 
reasons  for  preferring  Mohammed's  sentence  to 
mine." 

"  It  was  midnight  when  dinner,  or  rather  supper, 
was  brought  in  :  it  was  a  sullen  meal.  The  great 
man  was  silent,  and  I  was  sleepy.  Seid  Ali,  how 
ever,  had  not  had  enough.  While  burying  hia 
hand  in  the  dish  of  the  professor,  he  softly  men- 
tioned some  more  of  my  objections.  He  was  so 
vexed,  that  he  scarcely  answered  any  thing;  but 


148  LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTYN. 

after  supper,  told  a  very  long  story,  all  reflecting 
upon  me." 

His  account  of  a  subsequent  appearance  before  a 
celebrated  Soofie,  will  further  exemplify  the  cha- 
racter of  the  learned  men  of  India,  who  persist  in 
rejecting  the  truth. 

"  In  the  evening  we  went  to  pay  a  long-promised 
visit  to  Mirza  Abulcasim,  one  of  the  most  re- 
nowned Soofies  in  all  Persia.  We  found  several 
persons  sitting  in  an  open  court,  in  which  a  few 
greens  and  flowers  were  placed ;  the  master  was  in 
a  corner.  He  was  a  very  fresh-looking  old  man, 
with  a  silver  beard.  I  was  surprised  to  observe 
the  downcast  and  sorrowful  looks  of  the  assembly, 
and  still  more  at  the  silence  which  reigned.  After 
sitting  some  time  in  expectation,  and  being  not  at 
all  disposed  to  waste  my  time  in  sitting  there,  I 
said  softly  to  Seid  Ali,  '  What  is  this  ?'  He  said, 
4  It  is  the  custom  here,  to  think  much,  and  speak 
little.'  *  May  I  ask  the  master  a  question  ?'  said 
I.  With  some  hesitation  he  consented  to  let  me  : 
so  I  begged  Jaffier  Ali  to  inquire,  '  Which  is  the* 
way  to  be  happy  ?' 

"  This  he  did  in  his  own  manner  :  he  began  by 
observing,  that  '  there  was  a  great  deal  of  misery  in 
the  world,  and  that  the  learned  shared  as  largely 
in  it  as  the  rest ;  that  I  wished,  therefore,  to  know 
what  we  must  de  to  escape  it.'  The  master  re- 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  .  149 

plied,  that  *  for  his  part,  he  did  not  know,  but  that 
it  was  usually  said  that  the  subjugation  of  the  pas- 
sions was  the  shortest  way  to  happiness.' 

"  After  a  considerable  pause,  I  ventured  to  ask, 
1  what  were  his  feelings  in  the  prospect  of  death ; 
hope,  or  fear  ;  or  neither  ?'  *  Neither,'  said  he  ; 
and  that  '  pleasure  and  pain  were  both  alike.'  I 
asked.  '  whether  he  had  attained  this  apathy  ?'  He 
said,  *  No.'  '  Why  do  you  think  it  attainable  ?'  He 
could  not  tell.  '  Why  do  you  think  that  pleasure 
and  pain  are  not  the  same  ?'  said  Seid  AH,  taking 
his  master's  part.  '  Because,'  said  I,  '  I  have  the 
evidence  of  my  senses  for  it.  And  you  also  act  as 
if  there  was  a  difference.  Why  do  you  eat,  but  that 
you  fear  pain  ?'  These  silent  sages  sat  unmoved." 
A  defence  of  the  religion  of  the  Koran  was  also 
published  in  Arabic,  by  the  principal  theological 
professor,  or  instructer  of  Mohammedan  priests, 
upon  which  much  labour  had  been  spent,  and 
which  was  pronounced  to  be  the  best  work  on 
the  subject  that  had  ever  appeared.  The  work 
concluded  with  an  appeal  to  Mr.  Martyn,  to  con- 
sider the  subject,  and  confess  the  truth  of  Moham- 
medism.  He  immediately  wrote  a  reply  to  it  in 
Persian,  exposing  the  heresy  and  evil  of  the  false 
faith,  and  showing  the  evidences  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion ;  appealing,  in  turn,  to  the  Mussulman  author 
'to  view  the  subject  impartially,  and  to  embrace  the 


150  •    LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

truth  without  fear  of  the  contempt,  or  even  death  it 
might  cost  him.  The  learned  men  of  the  sect  were 
very  fond  of  arguing  with  Mr.  Martyn  on  the  sub- 
ject ;  but  as  their  desire  was  not  humbly  to  seek 
the  way  of  God,  but  to  indulge  their  love  of  debate, 
and  to  display  their  skill  in  it,  there  was  little  good 
effected  by  their  conversations.  The  nephew  of 
the  prince  said,  in  the  true  spirit  of  Mohammed, 
that  the  proper  answer  to  the  missionary  was  the 
sword ;  but  the  prince  himself  acknowledged  that 
his  faith  in  the  false  prophet  was  shaken,  and 
greatly  praised  the  reply  of  Mr.  Martyn,  who, 
when  he  was  asked  by  the  prince,  what  were  the 
laws  of  Christianity,  (meaning  how  often  it  requir- 
ed its  believers  to  pray,  wash,  &c.,)  said,  that  it  had 
two  commandments — "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart,  and  all  thy  soul,  and  aF. 
thy  strength  ;  and  thy  neighbour,  as  thyself."  In 
these  debates  he  had  to  endure  great  contempt  from 
his  opponents,  which  is  one  of  the  severest  trials 
a  man  of  honourable  feeling,  and  a  minister  of  the 
gospel,  can  be  called  to  suffer.  It  must  have  been 
a  great  aggravation  of  the  sorrows  of  our  Redeemer, 
after  he  had  come  from  Heaven,  out  of  pure  mercy  to 
men,  to  find  himself  disbelieved,  and  his  affectionate 
entreaties,  and  the  proofs  of  his  doctrine,  treated 
with  ridicule  and  scorn,  by  the  very  persons  he^ 
iiad  come  to  seek  and  to  save. 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  151 

It  was  the  recollection  of  what  Christ  had  suf- 
fered in  this  respect,  that  supported  Mr.  Martyn 
amidst  the  scoffs  of  the  proud  Mohammedans  ;  and 
he  often  repeated  the  verse, 

"  If  on  my  face,  for  thy  dear  name, 

Shame  and  reproaches  be ; 
All  hail  reproach,  and  welcome  shame, 
If  thou  remember  me." 

Although  these  men  pass  for  sages  amongst  their 
own  people,  they  were  very  ignorant,  in  compari- 
son with  well-educated  Europeans.  One  of  the 
sectaries,  for  instance,  maintained  against  Mr. 
Martyn,  that  there  was  no  difference  between 
pleasure  and  pain ;  and  he  was  once  called  upon 
in  a  large  company,  assembled  at  the  house  of  the 
prime  minister  of  the  territory,  to  prove  that  the 
earth  moves  :  but  no  one  understood  his  expla- 
nations. Sometimes  he  would  be  questioned  on 
great  principles  which  naturally  led  him  to  speak 
of  the  gospel ;  but  as  soon  as  he  mentioned  any  of 
its  doctrines,  they  would  divert  the  conversation 
to  some  of  the  ridiculous  ideas,  upon  which  they 
were  accustomed  to  waste  their  thoughts.  For 
instance,  one  of  the  men  who  accompanied  him 
as  a  guard  to  visit  the  ruins  of  Persepolis,  a  cele- 
brated ancient  city,  not  far  from  Shiraz,  "  often 
broke  a  long  silence,"  he  says,  "  by  a  sudden  ques- 
tion of  this  sort :  '  Sir,  what  is  the  chief  good  of 
life  ?'  I  replied,  4  The  love  of  God :'  '  What 


152  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

next?'  '  The  love  of  man.'  «  That  is,'  said  he,  « to 
have  men  love  us,  or  to  love  them  ?'  '  To  love 
them.'  He  did  not  seem  to  agree  with  me.  Another 
time  he  asked,  '  Who  were  the  worst  people  in  the 
world  ?'  I  saidj  *  Those  who  know  their  duty, 
and  do  not  practise  it.'  At  the  house  where  I  was 
entertained,  they  asked  me  the  question  which  the 
Lord  once  asked,  '  What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?'  I 
generally  tell  them  at  first,  what  they  expect  to 
hear,  i  The  Son  of  God ;'  but  this  time  I  said, 
'  The  same  as  you  say, — the  word  of  God.'  '  Was 
he  a  Prophet  ?'  '  Yes,  in  some  sense,  he  was  a 
Prophet ;  but,  what  it  chiefly  concerns  us  to  know, 
he  was  an  Atonement  for  the  sins  of  men.'  Not 
understanding  this,  they  made  "no  reply.  They 
next  asked,  '  What  did  I  think  of  the  soul  ?  was  it 
out  of  the  body  or  in  the  body  ?'  I  supposed  the 
latter.  '  No,'  they  said,  '  it  was  neither  the  one 
nor  the  other ;  but  next  to  it,  and  the  mover  of  the 
body.'  " 

We  have  some  other  specimens  of  these  discus- 
sions. 

"  Aga  Ali,  of  Media,  came,  and  with  him  and 
Mirza  Ali,  I  had  a  long  and  warm  discussion  about 
the  essentials  of  Christianity.  The  Mede  seeing 
us  at  work  upon  the  epistles,  said,  '  he  should  be 
glad  to  read  them ;  as  for  the  gospels,  they  were 
nothing  but  tales,  which  were  of  no  use  to  him « 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  153 

for  instance,'  said  he,  '  if  Christ  raised  four  hundred 
dead  to  life,  what  is  that  to. me  ?'  I  said,  '  It  cer- 
tainly was  of  importance  ;  for  his  works  were  a 
reason  for  our  depending  upon  his  words.'  '  What 
did  he  say,'  asked  he,  '  that  was  not  known  before : 
the  love  of  God,  humility, — who  does  not  know 
these  things  ?'  *  Were  these  things,'  said  I,  '  known 
before  Christ,  either  among  Greeks  or  Romans, 
with  all  their  philosophy  ?'  They  averred  that 
the  Hindoo  book  Juh  contained  precepts  of  this 
kind.  I  questioned  its  antiquity  ;  <  but  however 
that  may  be,'  I  added,  '  Christ  came  not  to  teach, 
so  much  as  to  die;  the  truths  I  spoke  of,  as  con- 
firmed by  his  miracles,  were  those  relating  to  his 
person,  such  as,  *  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.' 
Here  Mirza  Seid  Ali  told  him  that  I  had  professed 
to  have  no  doubt  of  my  salvation.  He  asked  what 
I  meant?  I  told  him,  '  that  though  sin  still  re- 
mained, I  was  assured  that  it  should  not  regain 
dominion ;  and  that  I  should  never  come  into  con- 
demnation, but  was  accepted  in  the  Beloved.'  Not 
a  little  surprised,  he  asked  Mirza  Seid  Ali  whether 
he  comprehended  this  ?  '  No,'  said  he,  '  nor  Mirza 
ibraheem,  to  whom  I  mentioned  it.'  The  Mede 
again  turning  to  me,  asked,  '  how  do  you  know 
this  ?  how  do  you  know  you  have  experienced  the 
second  birth  ?'  '  Because,'  said  I,  '  we  have  the 


154  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN 

Spirit  of  the  Father ;  what  he  wishes,  we  wish ; 
what  he  hates,  we  hate.'  Here  he  began  to  be  a 
little  more  calm  and  less  contentious,  and  mildly 
asked,  how  I  had  obtained  this  peace  of  mind ; 
'  Was  it  merely  those  books  ?'  said  he,  taking  up 
some  of  our  sheets.  I  told  him  *  These  books, 
with  prayer.'  '  What  was  the  beginning  of  it,'  said 
he,  '  the  society  of  some  friends  ?'  I  related  to  him 
my  religious  history,  the  substance  of  which  was, 
that  I  took  my  bible  before  God,  in  prayer,  and 
prayed  for  forgiveness  through  Christ,  assurance 
of  it  through  his  Spirit,  and  grace  to  obey  his  com- 
mandments. They  then  both  asked  whether  the 
same  benefit  would  be  conferred  on  them  ?  I  re- 
plied ;  '  I  bring  you  this  message  from  God,  that 
he  who,  despairing  of  himself,  rests  for  righteous- 
ness on  the  Son  of  God,  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  and  to  this  I  can  add  my  testimony, 
if  that  be  worth  any  thing,  that  I  have  found  the 
promise  fulfilled  in  myself ;  but  if  you  should  not 
find  it  so  in  you,  accuse  not  the  gospel  of  falsehood ; 
it  is  possible  that  your  faith  might  not  be  sincere  ; 
indeed,  so  fully  am  I  persuaded  that  you  do  not 
believe  on  the  Son  of  God,  that  if  you  were  to 
entreat  ever  so  earnestly  for  baptism,  I  should  not 
dare  to  administer  it  at  this  time,  when  you  have 
shown  so  many  signs  of  an  unhumbled  heart/ 
6  What !  would  you  have  me  believe,'  said  he,  '  as 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  155 

a  child  ?'  '  Yes,'  said  I.  «  True,'  said  he,  « 1  think 
that  is  the  only  way.'  Aga  Ali  said  no  more  but 
*  Certainly  he  is  a  good  man  !'  " 

11  Aga  Neeser  came,  and  talked  most  captiously 
and  irrelevantly  against  all  revealed  religion.  Three 
years  ago,  he  had  thrown  off  the  shackles  of  Mo- 
hammed, and  advised  me  to  do  the  same  with  my 
yoke.  I  told  him,  that  I  preferred  my  yoke  to  his 
freedom.  He  was  for  sending  me  naked  into  a 
wilderness  ;  but  I  would  rather  be  a  child  under 
the  restraints  of  a  parent,  who  would  provide  me 
with  food  and  clothing,  and  be  my  protector  and 
guide.  To  every  thing  I  said,  he  had  but  one 
answer.  '  God  is  the  sole  agent ;  sin  and  holiness, 
happiness  and  misery,  cause  and  effect,  are  all  per- 
fectly one.'  Finding  him  determined  to  amuse 
himself  in  this  way,  I  said,  «  These  things  will  do 
very  well  for  the  present,  while  reclining  in  gardens 
and  smoking  pipes  ;  but  not  for  a  dying  hour.  How 
many  years  of  life  remain  ?  You  are  about  thirty, 
perhaps  thirty  more  remain.  How  swiftly  have 
the  last  thirty  passed :  how  soon  will  the  next 
thirty  be  gone  :  and  then  we  shall  see.  If  you  are 
right,  I  lose  nothing ;  if  I  am  right,  you  lose  your 
soul.  Leaving  out  the  consideration  of  all  religion, 
it  is  probable  that  the  next  world  may  be  akin  to 
this,  and  our  relation  to  both  not  dissimilar.  But 
nere  we  see  that  childhood  is  a  preparation  for 


156  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

manhood,  and  that  neglect  of  the  proper  employ- 
ments of  childhood  entails  miseries  in  riper  years.5 
The  thought  of  death,  and  of  separation  from 
his  pleasures,  made  him  serious ;  or  perhaps  he 
thought  it  useless  to  press  me  with  any  more  of  his 
opinions." 

Such  was  the  state  of  the  minds  of  the  people 
whom  he  hoped  to  bring  to  a  reception  of  the 
gospel,  to  renounce  Mohammed,  and  "  confess  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father !"  We  may  learn  more  of  the  nature  of 
their  religion,  by  his  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  their  principal  fast  is  observed.  It  is  called 
the  fast  of  Ramazan,  and  is  directed  by  the  Koran 
to  be  kept  during  the  month  called  by  that  name. 

"  Sept.  20th. — First  day  of  the  fast  of  Ramazan. 
All  the  family  had  been  up  in  the  night,  to  take  an 
unseasonable  meal,  in  order  to  fortify  themselves 
for  the  abstinence  of  the  day.  It  was  curious  to 
observe  the  effects  of  the  fast  in  the  house.  The 
master  was  scolding  and  beating  his  servants  ;  they 
equally  peevish  and  insolent ;  and  the  beggars  more 
than  ordinarily  importunate  and  clamorous.  At 
noon,  all  the  city  went  to  the  grand  mosque.*  My 
host  came  back  with  an  account  of  new  vexations 
there.  He  was  chatting  with  a  friend,  near  the 
door,  when  a  great  preacher,  Hagi  Mirza,  arrived, 
*  The  place  of  Mohammedan  worship. 


LIFE   0¥   HENRY  MARTYN.  157 

hundreds  of  followers.  « Why  do  you  not 
say  your  prayers  ?'  waid  the  new  comers  to  the 
two  friends.  '  We  have  finished,'  said  they.  '  Well,' 
said  the  other,  '  if  you  cannot  pray  a  second  time 
with  us,  you  had  better  move  out  of  the  way.' 
Rather  than  join  such  turbulent  zealots,  they  re- 
tired. The  reason  of  this  unceremonious  address 
was,  that  these  loving  disciples  had  a  desire  to  pray 
all  in  a  row  with  their  master,  which,  it  seems,  is 
the  custom.  There  is  no  public  service  in  the 
mosque  ;  every  man  there  prays  for  himself." 

"  Sept.  22d. — Sunday.  My  friends  returned 
from  the  mosque,  full  of  indignation  at  what  they 
had  witnessed  there.  The  former  governor  of 
Bushire  complained  to  the  vizier,  in  the  mosque, 
that  some  of  his  servants  had  treated  him  brutally. 
The  vizier,  instead  of  attending  to  his  complaint, 
ordered  them  to  do  their  work  a  second  time  j 
which  they  did,  kicking  and  beating  him  with 
their  slippers,  in  the  most  ignominious  way,  before 
all  the  mosque.  This  unfiappy  people  groan 
under  the  tyranny  of  their  governors  ;  yet  nothing 
subdues  or  tames  them.  Happy  Europe  !  how 
has  God  favoured  the  sons  of  Japheth,  by  causing 
them  to  embrace  the  gospel !  How  dignified  are 
all  the  nations  of  Europe  compared  with  this 
nation  !  Yet  the  people  are  clever  and  intelligent, 
and  more  calculated  to  become  great  and  powerful 
O 


158  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN, 

than  any  of  the  nations  of  the  east,  had  they  a  good 
government,  and  the  Christian  religion." 

"  Oct.  ls£.— Thousands  every  day  assemble  at 
the  mosque  ;  it  is  quite  a  lounge  with  them.  Each, 
as  soon  as  he  has  said  his  prayers,  sits  down  and 
talks  to  his  friend.  The  multitude  press  to  hear 
Hagi  Mohammed  Hasan.  One  day  they  thronged 
him  so  much  that  he  made  some  error  in  his  pros* 
trations.  This  put  him  into  such  a  passion,  that 
he  wished  that  Omar's*  curse  might  come  upon 
him,  if  he  preached  to  them  again.  However,  a 
day  or  two  after,  he  thought  better  of  it.  This 
preacher  is  famous  for  letting  out  his  money  for 
interest;  and  therefore,  in  spite  of  his  eloquence, 
he  is  not  very  popular." 

"  Oct.  7th. — I  was  surprised  by  a  visit  from  the 
great  Soofie  doctor,  who,  while  most  of  the  people 
were  asleep,  came  to  me  for  some  wine.  I  plied 
him  with  questions  innumerable ;  but  he  returned 
nothing  but  incoherent  answers,  and  sometimes  no 
answer  at  all.  Having  laid  aside  his  turban,  he 
put  on  his  night-cap,  and  soon  fell  asleep  upon  the 
carpet.  Whilst  he  lay  there,  his  disciples  came, 
but  would  not  believe,  when  I  told  them  who  was 
there,  till  they  came  and  saw  the  sage  asleep. 
When  he  awoke,  they  came  in  and  seated  them- 

*  Omar  was  the  second  of  the  Caliphs,  or  successors  of  Mo- 
hammed 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  159 

selves  at  the  greatest  possible  distance,  and  were 
all  as  still  as  if  in  a  church. 

"  The  real  state  of  this  man  seems  to  be  despair, 
and  it  is  well  if  it  do  not  end  in  madness.  I 
preached  to  him  the  kingdom  of  God  :  mentioning 
particularly  how  I  had  found  peace  from  the  Son 
of  God  and  the  Spirit  of  God :  through  the  first, 
forgiveness ;  through  the  second,  sanctification. 
He  said  it  was  good,  but  said  it  with  the  same 
unconcern  with  which  he  admits  all  manner  of 
things,  however  contradictory.  Poor  soul!  he  is 
sadly  bewildered. 

"  At  a  garden  called  Shah  Chiragh,  in  which  is 
the  tomb  of  the  brother  of  one  of  the  Imans,  who 
\vas  killed  on  the  spot,  a  miracle  is  wrought  every 
Ramazan.  The  proprietor  of  the  garden,  in  whose 
family  it  has  been  for  ages,  finds  its  supposed 
sanctity  abundantly  profitable,  as  he  is  said  to 
make  $9,000  a  year  of  it.  To  keep  alive  the  zeal 
of  the  people,  who  make  their  offerings  there  every 
day,  he  procures  a  villager,  who  pretends  to  be 
sick,  and  crying  to  Ali*  for  help  ;  and  then,  on  the 
appointed  day,  recovers.  Though  this  farce  is 
played  off  every  year,  the  simpletons  are  never 
undeceived.  Presents  of  sheep,  fowls,  sweetmeats, 
money,  flowed  in  upon  the  proprietor,  who  skil- 
fully turned  all  to  the  best  advantage.  Those  who 
*  A  cousin  of  Mohammed,  and  head  of  a  religious  sect. 


.  60  LIFE  OF  HENRf  MAR  f  TV. 

wished  to  see  the  man's  face,  were  to  p*\y  so  much  , 
those  who  were  anxious  to  touch  him,  were  to  pay 
so  much  more  ;  and  so  on. 

"  On  two  days  in  the  Ramazan,  t^$edies  were 
acted  at  our  house,  in  the  women's  ccrirt.  Two 
or  three  men,  dressed  in  the  Khan's  co'\rt-robes, 
spouted  ^nd  sung  for  an  hour,  before  an  immense 
concourse  of  women,  all  veiled.  The  subject  on 
the  first  day  was  the  death  of  Mohammed ;  on  the 
second,  that  of  Iman  Hosyn." 

"  Oct.  18th. — "  The  Ramazan  ended,  or  ought 
to  have  ended,  but  the  moon  disappointed  them. 
The  Moollahs  not  having  seen  the  new  moon, 
would  not  allow  the  fast  to  be  over,  and  the  people 
were,  in  consequence,  all  in  confusion  ;  for  not 
having  eaten  in  the  night,  they  were  not  at  all 
disposed  to  go  through  the  day  fasting.  At  last 
some  witnesses  appeared,  who  vowed  that  they  had 
seen  the  silver  bow.  These  were  from  the  prince  ; 
but  the  Moollahs  refused  to  admit  them  till  seventy- 
two  of  the  same  kind  bore  the  same  testimony. 
This  was  no  great  number  for  a  prince  to  produce  ; 
so  the  seventy-two  appeared,  and  the  feast  was 
proclaimed." 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  161 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  Persian  version  of  the  New  Testament 
being  now  nearly  finished,  Mr.  Martyn,  with  his 
native  assistant,  commenced  the  translation  of  the 
Psalms  of  David  into  Persian,  from  the  Hebrew. 
From  his  diary  in  the  beginning  of  1812,  it  appears 
that  he  was  not  satisfied  with  his  Persian  New 
Testament. 

"  The  last  has  been,  in  some  respects,  a  memora- 
ble year.  I  have  been  led,  by  what  I  have  reason 
to  consider  as  the  particular  providence  of  God,  to 
this  place,  and  have  undertaken  an  important  work, 
which  has  gone  on  without  material  interruption, 
and  is  now  nearly  finished.  I  like  to  find  myself 
employed  usefully,  in  a  way  I  did  not  expect  01 
foresee,  especially  if  my  own  will  is  in  any  degree 
crossed  by  the  work  unexpectedly  assigned  me ; 
as  there  is  then  reason  to  believe  that  God  is  act- 
ing. The  present  year  will  probably  be  a  perilous 
one;  but  my  life  is  of  little  consequence,  whether 
I  live  to  finish  the  Persian  New  Testament,  or  do 
not.  I  look  back  with  pity  and  shame  upon  my 
former  self,  and  on  the  importance  I  then  attached 
to  my  life  and  labours.  The  more  I  see  of  my 
own  works,  the  more  I  am  ashamed  of  them. 
Coarseness  and  clumsiness  mar  all  the  works  of 


162  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYX. 

man.  I  am  sick  when  I  look  at  man,  and  his 
wisdom,  and  his  doings ;  and  am  relieved  only  by 
reflecting,  that  we  have  a  city  whose  builder  and 
maker  is  God.  The  least  of  His  works  it  is 
refreshing  to  look  at.  A  dried  leaf,  or  a  straw, 
makes  me  feel  myself  in  good  company :  compla- 
cency and  admiration  take  place  of  disgust. 

"  I  compared,  with  pain,  our  Persian  translation 
with  the  original ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  precision 
and  elegance  of  the  sacred  text,  its  perspicuity 
is  that  which  sets  at  defiance  all  attempts  to  equal 
it." 

But  the  more  he  read  and  studied  the  sacred  scrip- 
tures, the  stronger  attachment  he  felt  towards  them, 
and  so  far  from  becoming  tired  of  them,  from  hav- 
ing them  so  constantly  in  his  hands,  he  used  to 
turn  to  them  for  comfort  in  all  his  sorrows. 

"  Feb.  2d. — From  what  I  suffer  in  this  city,  I 
can  understand  the  feelings  of  Lot.  The  face  of 
the  poor  Russian  appears  to  me  like  the  face  of  an 
angel,  because  he  does  not  tell  lies.  Heaven  will 
be  heaven,  because  there  will  not  be  one  liar  there. 
The  word  of  God  is  more  precious  to  me  at  this 
time  than  I  ever  remember  it  to  have  been ;  and 
of  all  the  promises  in  it,  none  is  more  sweet  to  me 
than  this — '  He  shall  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  ene- 
mies under  his  feet.'  ' 

"  Feb.  3d. — A  packet  arrived  from  India,  without 


LIFE  OF  HENRY   MARTYX.  163 

a  single  letter  for  me.  It  was  some  disappoint* 
ment  to  me  ;  but  let  me  be  satisfied  with  my  God  ; 
and  if  I  cannot  have  the  comfort  of  hearing  from 
my  friends,  let  me  return  with  thankfulness  to  his 
word,  which  is  a  treasure  of  which  none  envy  me 
the  possession,  and  where  I  can  find  what  will 
more  than  compensate  for  the  loss  of  earthly  enjoy- 
ments. Resignation  to  the  will  of  God  is  a  lesson 
which  I  must  learn,  and  which  I  trust  he  is  teach- 
ing me." 

In  the  earlier  part  of  his  life  he  felt  a  great  in- 
crease of  spiritual  feeling  and  enjoyment,  in  conse- 
quence of  having  for  a  time  scarcely  any  other 
book  to  read  than  the  Bible. 

Mr.  Martyn  was  sometimes  encouraged  to  be- 
lieve that  the  constant  perusal  of  the  scriptures  had 
made  a  serious  impression  on  the  mind  of  Mirza 
Seid  Ali,  his  assistant  in  translation.  He  was  evi- 
dently interested  in  his  employment,  and  even  went 
so  far  as  to  acknowledge  his  belief  in  Christ,  as  the 
Son  of  God,  and  to  express  his  willingness  to  trust 
in  him  for  salvation,  and  make  a  public  profession 
of  his  faith.  But  his  conduct  at  other  times  mani- 
fested, that  he  had  only  a  belief  in  these  truths  as 
facts,  and  that  he  did  not  really  submit  himself  to  God 
by  faith  and  repentance.  His  candour  was  evinced 
in  a  confession  which  he  made,  on  a  point  in  which 
the  natural  disposition  of  his  countrymen  inclines 


!64  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

them  to  be  very  perverse.     He  had  been  boasting 
of  the  humility   and  simplicity   of  his   sect,   the 
Soofies  ;  upon  which  Mr.  Marty n  remarked,  that  if 
he  was  really  humble,  he  would  not  dispute  so 
boldly  as  he  did,  but  would  be  like  a  child.     Upon 
hearing  this  he  did  not  speak,  except  to  acknow- 
ledge, k<  True,  I  have  no  humility;"  and  afterwards, 
in  a  tone  of  distress,  said,  "  The  truth  is,  we  are  in  a 
state  of  compound  ignorance ;  ignorant,  yet  igno 
rant  of  our  ignorance."     When  their  translation 
was  finished,  Mr.  Martyn  remarked,   "  Mirza  Seid 
Ali  never  now  argues  against  the  truth,  nor  makes 
any  remarks  but  of  a  serious  kind.     He  speaks  of 
his  dislike  to  some  of  the  Soofies,  on  account  of 
their  falsehood  and  drunken  habits.    This  approach 
to  the  love  of  morality,  is  the  best  sign  of  a  change 
for  the  better,  which  I  have  yet  seen  in  him.     As 
often  as  he  produces  the  New  Testament,  which 
he  always  does  when  any  of  his  friends  come,  his 
brother  and  cousin  ridicule  him ;  but  he  tells  them 
that,  supposing  no  other  benefit  to  have  been  de- 
rived,   it   is    certainly  something   better   to    have 
gained  all  this  information  about  the  religion  of 
Christians,  than  to  have  loitered  away  the  year  in 
the  garden." 

The  Persian  New  Testament  was  completed  in 
February,  1812,  and  the  Psalms  in  March ;  and  on 
the  24th  May,  Mr.  Martyn  left  Shiraz,  in  company 


•  '  btf  Lfic 
Dtp? stony  JT'y 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  165 

with  an  English  clergyman,  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
senting a  written  copy  of  the  Testament  to  the 
king  of  Persia,  who  was  encamped  between  Shiraz. 
and  Tebriz.  Before  he  left  Shiraz,  he  maintained 
the  doctrine  that  Christ  was  God  and  the  Creator, 
before  a  large  company  of  Moollahs,  in  the  palace 
of  one  of  the  princes. 

On  arriving  at  the  camp  about  |Jie  9th  of  June, 
he  waited  on  the  prime  minister,  to  learn  how  he 
should  be  able  to  lay  the  book  before  the  king. 
The  minister  detained  him  two  hours  in  a  debate 
respecting  the  Christian  religion,  mixed,  as  usual, 
with  ridiculous  opinions  on  all  subjects.  At  \he 
house  of  the  vizier,  some  days  afterwards,  he  was 
attacked  on  the  same  subject,  before  a  large  com- 
pany. Towards  the  close  of  the  discussion  the 
vizier  told  him,  "  You  had  better  say,  God  is  God, 
and  Mohammed  is  the  prophet  of  God  ;"  Mr. 
Martyn  at  once  replied,  "  God  is:  God,  and  Jesus 
is  the  Son  of  God,"  which  excited  their  anger,  and 
they  left  him  with  great  contempt.  "  Thus,"  said 
he,  "  I  walked  away  alone  to  my  tent,  to  pass  the 
rest  of  the  day,  in  heat  and  dirt.  What  have  I 
done,  thought  I,  to  merit  all  this  scorn  ?  Nothing, 
I  trust,  but  bearing  testimony  to  Jesus.  I  thought 
over  these  things  in  prayer,  and  my  troubled  heart 
found  that  peace  which  Christ  hath  promised  to  his 
disciples." 


166  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

The  vizier  having  sent  him  word  that  no  English- 
man could  be  permitted  to  see  the  king,  unless  pre- 
sented by  the  English  ^ambassador,  or  having  a 
letter  of  introduction  from  him,  Mr.  Martyn  pro- 
ceeded towards  Tebriz,  his  residence,  in  company 
with  the  English  clergyman,  and  some  natives  for 
servants  and  guides.  Tebriz  or  Tauris,  is  in  the 
northern  part  of  Persia,  seven  hundred  miles  from 
Shiraz,  and-  alfteast  twenty-five  hundred  from  Cal- 
cutta. "  As  I  sat  down  in  the  dust,  on  a  shady* 
side  of  a  walled  village,  by  which  we  passed,  and 
surveyed  the  plains  over  which  our  road  lay,  I 
sighed  at  the  thought  of  my  dear  friends  in  India 
and  England  ;  of  the  vast  regions  I  must  traverse 
before  I  can  get  to  either,  and  of  the  various  and 
unexpected  hindrances,  which  present  themselves  to 
my  going  forward ;  I  comfort  myself  with  the  hope 
that  my  God  has  something  for  me  to  do,  by  thus 
delaying  my  departure."  They  met  with  much 
insulting  treatment  on  the  road,  especially  from  the 
various  officers  and  servants  of  the  king,  who  had 
possession  of  the  best  accommodations,  and  seemed 
to  delight  in  an  opportunity  of  ill-treating  Europe- 
ans. On  the  25th  of  June,  they  were  both  seized 
with  fever,  and  unable  to  proceed.  They  were 
afraid  they  would  be  unable  to  procure  food  and 
lodging,  as  their  money  failed,  and  no  one  would  lend 
to  them,  until  a  poor  mule-driver  became  security 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYtf.  167 

for  them.  His  journal  is  little  else  than  a  detail  of 
Bufferings.  He  appears  to  have  joined  a  caravan  of 
travellers  going  the  same  route. 

"  We  had  now  eaten  nothing  for  two  days.  My 
mind  was  much  disordered  from  head-ache  and 
giddiness,  from  which  I  was  seldom  free  ;  but  my 
heart,  I  trust,  was  with  Christ  and  his  saints.  To 
live  much  longer  in  this  world  of  sickness  and  pain 
seemed  no  way  desirable  ;  the  most  favourite  pros- 
'  pects  of  my  heart  seemed  very  poor  and  childish ; 
and  cheerfully  would  I  have  exchanged  them  all  for 
the  unfading  inheritance." 

"  June  27th. — My  Armenian  servant  was  attack- 
ed in  the  same  way.  The  rest  did  not  get  me  the 
things  that  I  wanted,  so  that  1  passed  the  third  day 
in  the  same  exhausted  state ;  my  head,  too,  was 
tortured  with  shocking  pains,  such  as,  together  with 
the  horror  I  felt  at  being  exposed  to  the  sun,  showed 
me  plainly  to  what  to'  ascribe  my  sickness.  To- 
wards evening,  two  more  of  our  servants  were 
attacked  in  the  same  way,  and  lay  groaning  from 
pains  in  the  head." 

"  June  2&th. — All  were  much  recovered,  but  in 
the  afternoon  I  again  relapsed.  During  a  high 

fever,  Mr.  C read  to  me,  in  bed,  the  epistle  to 

the  Ephesians,  and  I  never  felt  the  consolations  of 
that  divine  revelation  of  mysteries  more  sensibly 
and  solemnly.  Rain  in  the  night  prevented  our 
setting  off." 


168  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYrt. 

"  June  29th. — My  ague  and  fever  returned,  with 
such  a  head-ache,  that  I  was  almost  frantic.  Again 
and  again  I  said  to  myself,  « Let  patience  have  her 
perfect  work;'  and  kept  pleading  the  promises, 
'  When  thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I  will  be 
with  thee,'  <fcc. ;  and  the  Lord  did  not  withhold 
his  presence.  I  endeavoured  to  repel  all  the  dis- 
ordered thoughts  that  the  fever  occasioned,  and  to 
keep  in  mind  that  all  was  friendly  ;  a  friendly  Lord 
presiding ;  and  nothing  exercising  me  but  what 
would  show  itself  at  last  friendly.  A  violent  per- 
spiration at  last  relieved  the  acute  pain  in  my  head, 
and  my  heart  rejoiced ;  but  as  soon  as  that  was 
over,  the  exhaustion  it  occasioned,  added  to  the 
fatigue  from  the  pain,  left  me  in  as  low  a  state  of 
depression  as  ever  I  was  in.  I  seemed  about  to 
sink  into  a  long  fainting  fit,  and  I  almost  wished  it ; 
but  at  this  moment,  a  little  after  midnight,  I  was 
summoned  to  mount  my  horse,  and  set  out,  rather 
dead  than  alive.  We  had  a  thunder-storm  with 
hail." 

"  July  1st. — A  long  and  tiresome  march  to  Sare- 
hund :  in  twenty-eight  miles  there  was  no  village. 
They  had  nothing  to  sell  but  buttermilk  and  bread  ; 
but  a  servant  of  Abbas  Mirza,  happening  to  be  at 
the  same  caravansera,  sent  us  some  flesh  of  a 
mountain  cow,  which  he  had  shot  the  day  before. 
All  day  I  had  scarcely  the  right  recollection  of 
myself,  from  the  violence  of  the  ague." 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  169 

"  July  2d. — At  two  in  the  morning  we  set  out 
I  hardly  know  when  I  have  been  so  disordered.  I 
had  little  or  no  recollection  of  things,  and  what  I 
did  remember,  at  times,  of  happy  scenes  in  India 
or  England,  served  only  to  embitter  my  present 
situation.  Soon  after  removing  into  the  air,  I  was 
seized  with  a  violent  ague,  and  in  this  state  I  went 
on  till  sun-rise.  At  fourteen  miles,  we  found  a  fine 
caravansera,  apparently  very  little  used,  as  the  grass 
was  growing  in  the  court.  There  was  nothing  all 
round  but  the  barren  rocks,  which  generally 
roughen  the  country  before  the  mountain  rears 
its  height.  Such  an  edifice,  in  such  a  situation, 
was  cheering.  Soon  after,  we  came  to  a  river, 
over  which  was  a  high  bridge ;  I  sat  down  in  the 
shade  under  it,  with  two  camel-drivers.  The 
caravan,  as  it  happened,  forded  the  river,  and 

passed  on,  without  my  perceiving  it.     Mr.  C , 

seeing  no  signs  of  me,  returned,  and  after  looking 
about  for  some  time,  espied  my  horse  grazing ;  he 
concluded  immediately  that  the  horse  had  flung  me 
from  the  bridge  into  the  river,  and  was  almost 
i-eady  to  give  me  up  for  lost.  My  speedy  appear- 
ance from  under  the  bridge  relieved  his  terror  and 
anxiety.  The  pass  was  a  mere  nothing  to  those 
at  Bushire  ;  in  fact  it  was  no  part  of  the  mountain 
we  climbed,  but  only  a  few  hills.  In  a  natural 
opening  in  the  mountains,  on  the  other  side,  was  a 
P 


170  LIFE  OP  HENRY  MARTYN. 

river,  with  most  of  its  bed  dry  ;  and  over  it  a  bridge 
of  many  arches,  which  led  us  to  an  unwalled  village, 
surrounded  by  corn-fields,  which  we  reached  at 
ten  o'clock.  Half  the  people  still  continue  ill ; 
for  myself,  I  am,  through  God's  infinite  mercy, 
recovering." 

"  July  3d. — Started  at  three,  full  three  hours 
after  we  ought,  and,  as  was  to  be  expected,  we  all 
got  ill  again,  from  being  exposed  to  the  sun  six 
hours  ;  for  we  did  not  get  to  our  ground,  Turcoman, 
till  eleven  o'clock.  It  was  a  poor  village  among 
the  hills,  over  which  our  whole  way  lay,  from 
Mianu.  Ascending  one,  and  descending  another, 
was  the  whole  of  the  variety,  so  that  I  do  not  know 
when  we  have  had  a  more  tiresome  day." 

"  July  4th. — T  so  far  prevailed  as  to  get  the 
caravan  into  motion  at  midnight.  Lost  our  way  in 
the  night,  but  arriving  at  a  village  were  set  right 
again.  At  eight  came  to  Kilk  caravansera,  but  not 
stopping  there,  went  on  to  a  village,  where  we 
arrived  at  half-past  nine.  The  baggage  not  coming 
up  till  long  after,  we  got  no  breakfast  till  one 
o'clock.  In  consequence  of  all  these  things,  want 
of  sleep,  want  of  refreshment,  and  exposure  to  the 
sun,  I  was  presently  in  a  high  fever ;  which  raged 
so  furiously  all  the  day,  that  I  was  nearly  delirious, 
and  it  was  some  time  before  I  could  get  the  right 
recollection  of  myself.  I  almost  despaired,  and  do 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  171 

now,  of  getting  alive  through  this  unfortunate  jour- 
ney. Last  night  I  felt  remarkably  well,  calm,  and 
composed,  and  sat  reflecting  on  my  heavenly  rest, 
with  more  sweetness  of  soul,  abstraction  from  the 
world,  and  solemn  views  of  God,  than  I  have  had 
for  a  long  time.  Oh  !  for  such  sacred  hours  ! 
This  short  and  painful  life  would  scarcely  be  felt, 
could  I  live  thus  at  heaven's  gate.  It  being  im- 
possible to  continue  my  journey  in  my  present 
state,  and  one  of  the  servants  also  being  so  ill  that 
he  could  not  move  with  safety,  we  determined  to 
halt  one  day  at  the  village,  and  sent  on  a  messenger 
to  Sir  Gore  Ousely,  the  ambassador,  who  was  at 
Tebriz,  informing  him  of  our  approach." 

"  July  5th. — Slept  all  day,  and  at  sun-rise  pre- 
pared to  proceed  all  the  way  to  Tebriz,  or  at  least 
to  Seid  Abad ;  but  we  did  not  set  out  till  one  in  the 
morning.  I  was  again  dreadfully  disordered  with 
head-ache  and  fever.  We  got  into  a  wretched 
hovel,  where  the  raging  fever  almost  deprived  me 
of  reason.  In  the  cool  of  the  evening  we  set  out 
to  go  to  Seid  Abad,  distant  about  twelve  miles. 
When  the  caravan  arrived  near  Seid  Abad,  it  was 
a  dark  night,  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  not  one  of 
the  party  knew  where  it  was,  nor  could  we  discover 
it  by  the  barking  of  the  dogs,  the  usual  sign.  Once 
we  heard  the  bark,  and  made  sure  of  having  at- 
tained our  object ;  but  found  only  some  shepherds 


172  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

keeping  watch  over  their  flocks  by  night.  These 
boors  showed  us  which  road  to  take,  which  we 
soon  found  ended  in  nothing ;  so  returning,  we  tried 
to  induce  one  of  them  to  serve  as  a  guide,  with  the 
promise  of  any  sum  of  money  he  required  :  but  all 
in  vain.  The  only  thing  that  remained  to  be  done 
was  to  lie  down  on  the  spot,  and  wait  patiently  for 
the  day :  which  I  did,  and  caught  such  a  cold,  as, 
with  all  our  other  exposures,  consummated  my 
disorders.  As  soon  as  it  was  day,  we  found  our 

way  to  the  village,  where  Dr.  was  waiting 

for  us.  Not  being  able  to  stay  for  us,  he  went  on 
to  Tebriz,  and  we  as  far  as  Wasmuch,  where  he 
promised  to  procure  for  us  a  fine  upper  room  fur- 
nished ;  but  when  we  arrived,  they  denied  that 
there  was  any  such  place  ;  at  last,  after  an  hour's 
threatening,  we  got  admittance  to  it.  An  hour 
before  break  of  day  I  left  it,  in  hopes  of  reaching 
Tebriz  before  sun-rise.  Some  of  the  people  seemed 
to  feel  compassion  for  me,  and  asked  me  if  I  was 
not  very  ill.  At  last  I  reached  the  gate,  and  feebly 
asked  for  a  man  to  show  me  the  way  to  the  am- 
oassador's." 

At  Tebriz  he  was  confined  two  months  by  a  fever, 
from  which  he  did  not  expect  to  recover.  He 
wrote  to  a  friend — "  We  who  are  in  Jesus,  have 
the  privilege  of  viewing  life  and  death  as  nearly 
the  same,  since  both  are  ours  ;  and  I  thank  a 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  173 

gracious  Lord  that  sickness  never  came  at  a 
time  when  I  was  more  free  from  apparent  reasons 
for  living.  Nothing,  seemingly,  remains  for  me  to 
do,  but  to  follow  the  rest  of  my  family  to  the  tomb." 

The  New  Testament,  which  he  was  thus  prevent- 
ed from  giving,  in  person,  to  the  Persian  monarch, 
was,  after  Mr.  Martyn's  death,  presented  by  the 
ambassador ;  and  the  king  acknowledged  the  gift 
in  the  following  letter  : 

"  In  the  name  of  the  Almighty  God,  whose  glory 
is  most  excellent. 

"  It  is  our  august  command,  that  the  dignified  and 
excellent,  our  trusty,  faithful,  and  loyal  well-wisher, 
Sir  Gore  Ousely,  Baronet,  his  Britannic  Majesty's 
Ambassador  Extraordinary,  (after  being  honoured 
and  exalted  with  the  expressions  of  our  highest 
regard  and  consideration,)  should  know,  that  the 
copy  of  the  Gospel,  which  was  translated  into  Per- 
sian, by  the  learned  exertions  of  the  late  Rev.  Henry 
Martyn,  and  which  has  been  presented  to  us  by 
your  Excellency,  on  the  part  of  the  high,  dignified, 
learned,  and  enlightened  Society  of  Christians,* 
united  for  the  purpose  of  spreading  abroad  the  Holy 
Books  of  the  Religion  of  Jesus,  (upon  whom,  and 
upon  all  Prophets,  be  peace  and  blessings !)  has 
reached  us,  and  has  proved  highly  acceptable  to  our 
august  mind. 

*  The  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 


171  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

"  In  truth,  through  the  learned  and  unremitting 
exertions  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Martyn,  it  has  been 
translated  in  a  style  most  befitting  sacred  books  ; 
that  is,  in  an  easy  and  simple  diction.  Formerly, 
the  four  evangelists,  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and 
John,  were  known  in  Persia ;  but  now  the  whole 
of  the  New  Testament  is  completed  in  a  most  ex- 
cellent manner:  and  this  circumstance  has  been 
an  additional  source  of  pleasure  to  our  enlighten- 
ed and  august  mind.  Even  the  four  Evangelists, 
which  were  Imown  in  this  country,  had  never  been 
before  explained  in  so  clear  and  luminous  a  man- 
ner. We  therefore  have  been  particularly  delighted 
with  this  copious  and  complete  translation.  Please 
the  most  merciful  God,  we  shall  command  the 
select  servants,  who  are  admitted  to  our  presence, 
to  read  to  us  the  above  mentioned  book,  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end,  that  we  may,  in  the  most 
minute  manner,  hear  and  comprehend  its  contents. 

"  Your  excellency  will  be  pleased  to  rejoice  the 
hearts  of  the  above  mentioned  dignified,  learned, 
and  enlightened  Society,  with  assurances  of  our 
highest  regard  and  approbation  ;  and  to  inform  those 
excellent  individuals,  who  are  so  virtuously  engaged 
in  disseminating  and  making  known  the  true  mean- 
ing and  intent  of  the  holy  gospel,  and  other  points 
in  sacred  books,  that  they  are  deservedly  honoured 
with  our  royal  favour.  Your  excellency  must 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  175 

consider    yourself  as   bound  to   fulfil   this   royal 
request." 

The  ambassador  afterwards  took  the  translation 
to  St.  Petersburg,  in  Russia,  where  it  was  printed. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

His  principal  design  in  visiting  Persia  being 
thus  accomplished,  and  the  journey  not  having  con- 
tributed to  his  health,  Mr.  Martyn,  as  soon  as  he 
had  recovered  from  the  attack  of  fever,  determined 
to  return  to  England.  Shortly  before  leaving 
Tebriz,  he  wrote  thus  in  a  letter : 

"  It  has  pleased  God  to  restore  me  to  life  and 
health  again :  not  that  I  have  yet  recovered  my 
former  strength,  but  I  consider  myself  sufficiently 
restored  to  prosecute  my  journey.  My  daily 
prayer  is,  that  my  late  chastisement  may  have  its 
intended  effect,  and  make  me,  all  the  rest  of  my 
days,  more  humble  and  less  self-confident.  Sell- 
ccnfidence  has  often  let  me  down  fearful  lengths  ; 
and  would,  without  God's  gracious  interference, 
prove  my  endless  perdition.  I  seem  to  be  made 
to  feel  this  evil  of  my  heart,  more  than  any  other, 
at  this  time.  In  prayer,  or  when  I  write  or  con- 


176  LIFE   OF   HEXRY  MARTTN. 

verse  on  the  subject,  Christ  appears  to  me  my  life 
and  strength ;  but  at  other  times,  I  am  thoughtless 
and  bold,  as  if  I  had  all  life  and  strength  in  myself. 
Such  neglects  on  our  part  are  a  diminution  of  our 
joys. — I  mentioned  my  conversing  sometimes  on 
divine  subjects.  In  these  I  am  sometimes  led  on 
by  the  Soofie  Persians,  and  tell  them  all  I  know  of 
the  very  recesses  of  the  sanctuary.  But  to  give  an 
account  of  all  my  discussions  with  these  mystic 
philosophers,  must  be  reserved  to  the  time  of 
our  meeting. — Do  I  dream !  that  I  venture  to 
think  and  write  of  sucli  an  event  as  that  ?  Is  it 
possible  that  we  shall  ever  meet  again  below  ? 
Though  it  is  possible,  I  dare  not  indulge  such  a 
pleasing  hope. 

"  In  three  days  I  intend  setting  my  horse's  head 
towards  Constantinople,  distant  about  one  thousand 
three  hundred  miles.  Nothing,  I  think,  will  occa- 
sion any  further  detention  here,  if  I  can  procure 
servants  who  know  both  Persian  and  Turkish. 
Ignorant  as  I  am  of  Turkish,  should  I  be  taken  ill 
on  the  road,  my  case  would  be  pitiable  indeed. 
The  ambassador  and  his  suite  are  still  here ;  his 
and  Lady  Ousely's  attentions  to  me  during  my  ill' 
ness  have  been  unremitted.  The  prince  Abbas 
Mirza,  the  wisest  of  the  king's  sons,  and  heir  to 
the  throne,  was  here  some  time  after  my  arrival. 
I  much  wished  to  present  a  copy  of  the  Persian 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  177 

New  Testament  to  him,  but  I  could  not  rise  from 
my  bed.  The  book,  however,  will  be  given  him 
by  the  ambassador.  Public  curiosity  about  the 
gospel,  now,  for  the  first  time  in  the  memory  of 
the  modern  Persians,  introduced  into  the  country, 
is  a  good  deal  excited  here  and  at  Shiraz,  and  in 
other  places  ;  so  that,  upon  the  whole,  I  am  thank- 
ful for  having  been  led  hither,  and  detained ;  though 
my  residence  in  this  country  has  been  attended 
with  many  unpleasant  circumstances.  The  way 
of  the  kings  of  the  east  is  preparing :  thus  much 
may  be  said  with  safety,  but  little  more.  The 
Persians  will  also  probably  take  the  lead  in  the 
march  to  Sion." 

On  the  second  of  September  he  left  Tebriz,  on 
horseback,  with  two  Armenian  servants,  one  of 
whom  spoke  Turkish,  and  a  little  Persian.  His 
diary  will  best  exhibit  the  hardships  of  the  journey, 
and  the  pious  feelings  with  which  he  endured 
them. 

"  Sept.  4th. — At  sun-rise  mounted  my  horse,  and 
proceeded  north-west,  through  a  pass  in  the  moun- 
tains, towards  Murun.  By  the  way,  I  sat  down 
by  the  brook,  and  there  ate  my  bread  and  raisins, 
and  drank  of  the  crystal  stream ;  but  either  the 
coldness  of  this  unusual  breakfast,  or  the  riding  after 
it,  did  not  at  all  agree  with  me.  The  heat  oppress- 
'  cd  me  much,  and  the  road  seemed  intolerably 


178  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

tedious  ;  at  last  we  got  out  from  among  the  moun 
tains,  and  saw  the  village  of  Murun,  in  a  fine  valley 
on  the  right.  It  was  about  eleven  o'clock  when 
we  reached  it.  As  the  Mihmander  could  not  im- 
mediately find  a  place  to  put  me  in,  we  had  a  com- 
plete view  of  this  village.  They  stared  at  my 
European  dress,  but  no  disrespect  was  shown.  I 

was  deposited,  at  last,  with Khan,  who  was 

seated  in  a  place  with  three  walls.  Not  at  all  dis- 
posed to  pass  the  day  in  company,  as  well  as  ex- 
posed, I  asked  for  another  room ;  on  which  I  was 
shown  to  the  stable,  where  there  was  a  little  place 
partitioned  off,  but  so  as  to  admit  a  view  of  the 
horses.  The  smell  of  the  stable,  though  not  in 
general  disagreeable  to  me,  was  so  strong,  that  I 
was  quite  unwell,  and  strangely  dispirited  and  me- 
lancholy. Immediately  after  dinner  I  fell  fast  asleep, 
and  slept  four  hours  ;  after  which  I  rose  and  order- 
ed them  to  prepare  for  the  next  journey.  The 
horses  being  changed  here,  it  was  some  time 
before  they  were  brought,  but  by  exerting  myself, 
we  moved  off  by  midnight.  It  was  a  most  mild 
and  delightful  night,  and  the  pure  air,  after  the 
smell  of  the  stable,  was  quite  reviving.  For  once, 
also,  I  travelled  all  the  way  without  being  sleepy  * 
and  beguiled  the  hours  of  the  night  by  thinking  of 
the  14th  Psalm,  especially  the  connection  of  the 
last  three  verses  with  the  preceding* 


LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  179 

**  Sept.  5th. — In  five  hours  we  were  just  on  the 
Kills  which  face  the  pass  out  of  the  valley  of 
Murun,  and  in  four  hours  and  a  half  more,  emerged 
from  between  the  two  ridges  of  mountains,  into  the 
valley  of  Gurjur,  This  long  march  was  far  from 
being  a  fatiguing  one.  The  air,  the  road,  and  my 
spirits  were  good.  Here  I  was  well  accommo- 
dated, but  had  to  mourn  over  my  impatient  temper 
towards  my  servants  ;  there  is  nothing  that  disturbs 
my  peace  so  much.  How  much  more  noble  and 
godlike  to  bear  with  calmness,  and*  observe  with 
pity,  rather  than  anger,  the  failings  and  offences  of 
others.  O  that  I  may,  through  grace,  be  enabled 
to  recollect  myself  in  the  time  of  temptation ! 
O  that  the  Spirit  of  God  may  check  my  folly, 
and,  at  such  times,  bring  the  lowly  Saviour  to  my 
view. 

"  Sept*  6th* — Soon  after  twelve  we  started  with 
fresh  horses,  and  came  to  the  Arar,  or  Araxes, 
distant  eight  miles,  and  about  as  broad  as  the  Isis, 
with  a  current  as  strong  as  that  of  the  Ganges. 
The  ferry-boat  being  on  the  other  side,  I  lay  down 
to  sleep  till  it  came,  but  observing  my  servants  do 
the  same,  I  was  obliged  to  get  up  and  exert  myself. 
It  dawned,  however,  before  we  got  over.  The 
boat  was  a  huge  fabric.  The  ferryman  had  only  a 
stick  to  push  with :  an  oar,  I  dare  say,  he  had 
never  seen  or  heard  of,  and  many  of  my  train  had 


180  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN 

probably  never  floated  before  ;  so  alien  is  a  Persian 
from  every  thing  that  belongs  to  shipping.  We 
landed  safely  on  the  other  side  in  about  two  minutes. 
We  were  four  hours  in  reaching  Nackshan,  and 
for  half  an  hour  more  I  was  led  from  street  to 
street,  till  at  last  I  was  lodged  in  a  wash-house 
belonging  to  a  great  man,  a  comer  of  which  was 
cleaned  out  for  me.  It  was  near  noon,  and  my 
baggage  had  not  arrived ;  so  that  I  was  obliged  to 
go  without  my  breakfast ;  which  was  hard  after  a 
ride  for  four  hours  in  the  sun.  The  baggage  was 
delayed  so  long,  that  I  began  to  fear ;  at  last,  how- 
ever, it  arrived.  All  the  afternoon  I  slept,  and  at 
sun-set  arose,  and  continued  wakeful  till  midnight, 
when  I  roused  my  people,  and  with  fresh  horses 
set  out  again.  We  travelled  till  sun-rise.  I 
scarcely  perceived  that  we  had  been  moving,  a 
Hebrew  word,  in  the  16th  Psalm,  having  led  me 
gradually  into  speculations  on  the  eighth  conjuga- 
tion of  the  Arabic  verb.  I  am  glad  my  philological 
curiosity  is  revived,  as  my  mind  will  be  less  liable 
to  idleness. 

"  Sept.  7th. — Arrived  at  Khoock,  a  poor  village 
distant  twenty-two  miles  from  Nackshan,  nearly 
west.  I  should  have  mentioned,  that  on  descend- 
ing into  the  plain  of  Nackshan,  my  attention  was 
arrested  by  the  appearance  of  a  hoary  mountain, 
opposite  to  us  at  the  other  end,  rising  so  high  above 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYX.  181 

the  rest,  that  they  sunk  into  insignificance.  It  was 
truly  sublime,  and  the  interest  it  excited  was  not 
lessened,  when,  on  inquiring  its  name,  I  was  told 
it  was  Agri,  or  Ararat.  Thus  I  saw  two  remarka- 
ble objects  in  one  day,  the  Araxes,  and  Ararat.  At 
four  in  the  afternoon  we  set  out  for  Shurror.  The 
evening  was  pleasant ;  the  ground  over  which  we 
passed  was  full  of  rich  cultivation  and  verdure, 
watered  by  many  a  stream,  and  containing  forty 
villages,  most  of  them  with  the  usual  appendage 
of  gardens.  To  add  to  the  scene,  the  great  Ararat 
was  on  our  left.  On  the  peak  of  that  hill  the 
whole  church  was  once  contained ;  it  has  now 
spread  far  and  wide,  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  ; 
but  the  ancient  vicinity  of  it  knows  it  no  more.  I 
fancied  many  a  spot  where  Noah  perhaps  offered 
his  sacrifices  ;  and  the  promise  of  God,  '  that  seed- 
time and  harvest  should  not  cease,'  appeared  to  me 
to  be  more  exactly  fulfilled  in  the  agreeable  plain 
in  which  it  was  spoken,  than  elsewhere  ;  as  I  had 
not  seen  such  fertility  in  any  part  of  the  Shah's 
dominions.  Here  the  blessed  saint  landed  in  a  new 
world ;  so  may  I,  safe  in  Christ,  outride  the  storm 
of  life,  and  land  at  last  on  one  of  the  everlasting 
hills ! 

"  Night  coming  on,  we  lost  our  way,  and  got  in- 
tercepted by  some  deep  ravines,  into  one  of  which 
the  horse  that  carried  my  trunks  sunk  so  deep,  that 
Q 


182  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

the  water  got  into  one  of  them,  wetted  the  linen,  and 
spoiled  some  books.  We  went  to  another  village, 
where  after  a  long  delay,  two  aged  men  with  silver 
beards  opened  their  house  to  us.  Though  it  was 
near  midnight,  I  had  a  fire  lighted  to  dry  my  books, 
took  some  coffee,  and  sunk  into  deep  sleep ;  from 
which  awaking  at  the  earliest  dawn  of 

"  Sept.  8th. — I  roused  the  people,  and  had  a 
delightful  ride  to  Shurror.  Here  I  was  accommo- 
dated by  the  great  man  with  a  stable,  or  winter 
room ;  for  they  build  it  in  such  a  strange  vicinity, 
in  order  to  have  it  warm  in  winter.  At  present, 
while  the  weather  is  still  hot,  the  smell  is  at  times 
overpowering.  At  eleven  at  night  we  moved  off, 
with  fresh  horses,  for  Duwala;  but  though  we 
had  guides  in  abundance,  we  were  not  able  to  extri- 
cate ourselves  from  the  ravines  with  which  this 
village  is  surrounded.  Procuring  another  man 
from  a  village  we  happened  to  wander  into,  we  at 
last  made  our  way,  through  grass  and  mire,  to  the 
pass,  which  led  us  to  a  country  as  dry  as  the  one 
we  had  left  was  wet.  Ararat  was  now  quite  near : 
at  the  foot  of  it  is  Duwala,  twenty-four  miles  from 
Nackshan,  where  we  arrived  at  seven  in  the  morn- 
ing of 

"  Sept.  9th. — As  I  had  been  thinking  all  night 
of  a  Hebrew  letter,  I  perceived  little  of  the  tedious- 
ness  of  the  way.  I  tried  also  some  difficulties  in 


LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTYN.  183 

the  16th  Psalm,  without  being  able  to  master  them. 
All  day  on  the  15th  and  16th  Psalms,  and  gained 
some  light  into  the  difficulties.  The  villagers  not 
bringing  the  horses  in  time,  we  were  not  able  to 
go  on  at  night ;  but  I  was  not  much  concerned, 
as  I  thereby  gained  some  rest. 

"  Sept.  10th. — All  day  at  the  village,  writing 
down  notes  on  the  15th  and  16th  Psalms.  Moved 
at  midnight  and  arrived  early  in  the  morning  at 
Erivan. 

"  Sept.  llth. — I  alighted  at  Hosyn  Khan,  the 
governor's  palace,  as  it  may  be  called,  for  he 
seems  to  live  in  a  style  equal  to  that  of  a  prince. 
After  sleeping  two  hours,  I  was  summoned  to  his 
presence.  He  at  first  took  no  notice  of  me,  but 
continued  reading  his  Koran.  After  a  compliment 
or  two  he  resumed  his  devotions.  The  next  cere- 
mony was  to  exchange  a  rich  shawl  dress  for  a  still 
richer  pelisse,  on  pretence  of  its  being  cold.  The 
next  display  was  to  call  for  his  physician,  who, 
after  respectfully  feeling  his  pulse,  stood  on  one 
side :  this  was  to  show  that  he  had  a  domestic 
physician.  His  servants  were  most  richly  clad. 
My  letter  from  the  ambassador,  which  till  now  had 
lain  neglected  on  the  ground,  was  opened  and  read 
by  a  moonshee.  He  heard  with  great  interest 
what  Sir  Gore  had  written  about  the  translation 
of  the  gospels.  After  this  he  was  very  kind  an<\ 


184  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

attentive,  and  sent  for  Lieutenant  M- of  the 

engineers,  who  was  stationed,  with  two  Serjeants, 
at  this  fort.  In  the  afternoon,  the  governor  sent 
for  me  again  in  private.  A  fountain,  in  a  basin  of 
white  marble,  was  playing  before  him,  and  in  its 
water  grapes  and  melons  were  cooling ;  two  time- 
pieces were  before  him,  to  show  the  approach  of 
the  time  of  lawful  repast :  below  the  window,  at  a 
great  depth,  ran  a  broad  and  rapid  stream,  over 
rocks  and  stones,  under  a  bridge  of  two  arches, 
producing  an  agreeable  murmur  :  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river  were  gardens,  and  a  rich  plain ;  and 
directly  in  front,  Ararat.  He  was  now  entirely 
free  from  ceremony,  but  too  much  fatigued  to  con- 
verse. I  tried  to  begin  a  religious  discussion,  by 
observing  that'4  he  was  in  one  paradise  now,  and 
was  in  quest  of  another  hereafter,'  but  this  remark 
produced  no  effect." 

The  next  day  he  went  to  Ech-Miazin,  where 
there  are  three  churches  of  Greek  Christians,  and 
a  monastery.  The  worship  and  creed  of  the 
Greek  church  resemble,  in  some  respects,  those 
of  the  Roman  Catholic,  but  it  does  not  acknow- 
ledge the  Pope.  Mr.  Martyn  was  very  kindly 
entertained  here,  until  the  17th,  when  he  again  set 
out  with  servants  and  a  guard,  as  the  woods  in  Tur- 
key, on  which  they  would  soon  enter,  were  much 
beset  with  robbers.  The  route  lay  through  a 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  185 

deserted  mountainous  region,  with  an  occasional 
village,  where  the  missionary  was  an  object  of 
great  curiosity.  He  seems  to  have  enjoyed  the 
wild  scenery,  as  much  as  a  person  travelling  with 
a  company  of  ignorant  and  noisy  companions  could. 
"  The  clear  streams  in  the  valley,  the  lofty  trees 
crowning  the  summit  of  the  hills,  the  smooth 
paths  winding  away  and  losing  themselves  in  the 
dark  woods,  and,  above  all,  the  solitude  that  reigned 
throughout,  composed  a  scene  which  tended  to 
harmonize  and  solemnize  the  mind.  What  displays 
of  taste  and  magnificence  are  found  occasionally  on 
this  ruined  earth !  Nothing  was  wanting  but  the 
absence  of  the  Turks." 

At  a  village,  on  the  29th,  he  was  attacked  with 
fever  and  ague.  He  suffered  the  next  day  from 
sickness  and  depression  of  spirits,  but  his  soul 
rested,  as  he  said,  "  on  Him  who  is  as  an  anchor 
of  the  soul,  sure  and  steadfast,  which,  though  not 
seen,  keeps  me  fast." 

On  the  1st  of  October,  "  Marched  over  a  moun- 
tainous tract :  we  were  out  from  seven  in  the  morn- 
ing till  eight  at  night.  After  sitting  a  little  by  the 
fire,  I  was  near  fainting  from  sickness.  My  de- 
pression of  spirits  led  me^to  the  throne  of  grace,  as 
a  sinful,  abject  worm.  When  I  thought  of  myself 
and  my  transgressions,  I  could  find  no  text  so 
cheering  as,  'My  ways  are  not  as  your  ways.' 
g  2 


186  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

From  the  men  who  accompanied  Sir  William 
Ousely  to  Constantinople,  I  learned  that  the  plague 
was  raging  at  Constantinople,  and  thousands  dying 
every  day.  One  of  the  Persians  had  died  of  it. 
They  added,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Tocat  were 
flying  from  their  town  from  the  same  cause. 
Thus  I  am  passing  inevitably  into  imminent  dan- 
ger. O  Lord,  thy  will  be  done  !  Living  or  dying, 
remember  me !" 

The  principal  guard  and  leader  of  the  party  was 
a  Tartar,  named  Hassan  Aga.  His  treatment  of 
Mr.  Martyn  from  this  time,  was  inhuman,  and  the 
journal  of  the  next  five  days  gives  a  deeply  affect- 
ing narrative  of  the  sufferings  to  which  the  savage 
conduct  of  his  guide  exposed  him. 

"  Oct.  2d. — Some  hours  before  day,  I  sent  to 
tell  the  Tartar  I  was  ready,  but  Hassan  Aga  was 
for  once  riveted  to  his  bed.  However,  at  eight, 
having  got  strong  horses,  he  set  off  at  a  great  rate, 
and  over  the  level  ground  he  made  us  gallop  as  fast 
as  the  horses  would  go,  to  Chiflick,  where  we 
arrived  at  sun-set,  I  was  lodged,  at  my  request, 
in  the  stables  of  the  post-house,  not  liking  the 
scrutinizing  impudence  of  the  fellows  who  frequent 
the  coffee  room.  As  soon  as  it  began  to  grow  a 
little  cold,  the  ague  came  on,  and  then  the  fever : 
after  which  I  had  a  sleep,  which  let  me  know  too 
plainly  the  disorder  of  my  frame.  In  the  night, 


LII'E   OF  HENRY   MARTYN.  187 

Hassan  sent  to  summon  me  away,  but  I  was  quite 
unable  to  move.  Finding  me  still  in  bed  at  the 
dawn,  he  began  to  storm  furiously  at  my  detaining 
him  so  long ;  but  I  quietly  let  him  spend  his  ire, 
ate  my  breakfast  composedly,  and  set  out  at  eight. 
He  seemed  determined  to  make  up  for  the  delay, 
for  we  flew  over  hill  and  dale  to  Sherean,  where 
he  changed  horses.  From  thence  we  travelled  all 
the  rest  of  the  day  and  all  night ;  it  rained  most 
of  the  time.  Soon  after  sun-set  the  ague  came 
on  again,  which,  in  my  wet  state,  was  very  trying ; 
I  hardly  knew  how  to  keep  my  life  in  me.  About 
that  time  there  was  a  village  at  hand ;  but  Hassan 
had  no  mercy.  At  one  in  the  morning  we  found 
two  men  under  a  wain,  with  a  good  fire  ;  they 
could  not  keep  the  rain  out,  but  their  fire  was 
acceptable.  I  dried  my  lower  extremities,  allayed 
the  fever  by  drinking  a  good  deal  of  water,  and 
went  on.  We  had  little  rain,  but  the  night  was 
pitchy  dark,  so  that  I  could  not  see  the  road 
under  my  horse's  feet.  However,  God  being 
mercifully  pleased  to  alleviate  my  bodily  suffering, 
I  went  on  contentedly  to  the  next  stage,  where 
we  arrived  at  break  of  day.  After  sleeping  three 
or  four  hours,  I  was  visited  by  an  Armenian  mer- 
chant, for  whom  I  had  a  letter.  Hassan  was  in 
great  fear  of  being  arrested  here  ;  the  governor 
of  the  city  had  vowed  to  make  an  example  of  him 


188  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

for  riding  to  death  a  horse  belonging  to  a  man 
of  this  place.  He  begged  that  I  would  shelter 
him  in  case  of  danger  ;  his  being  claimed  by  an 
Englishman,  he  said,  would  be  a  sufficient  security. 
I  found,  however,  that  I  had  no  occasion  to  inter- 
fere. He  hurried  me  away  from  this  place  without 
delay,  and  galloped  furiously  towards  a  village, 
which,  he  said,  was  four  hours  distant ;  which  was 
afl  I  could  undertake  in  my  present  weak  state ; 
but  village  after  village  did  he  pass,  till  night 
coming  on,  and  no  signs  of  another,  I  suspected 
that  he  was  carrying  me  on  to  the  next  stage  ;  so 
I  got  off  my  horse,  and  sat  upon  the  ground,  and 
told  him,  '  I  neither  could  nor  would  go  any 
further.'  He  stormed,  but  I  was  immovable  ;  till, 
a  light  appearing  at  a  distance,  I  mounted  my 
horse  and  made  towards  it,  leaving  him  to  follow 
or  not,  as  he  pleased.  He  brought  in  the  party, 
but  would  not  exert  himself  to  get  a  place  for 
me.  They  brought  me  to  an  open  verandah,  but 
Sergius*  told  them  I  wanted  a  place  in  which  to  be 
alone.  This  seemed  very  offensive  to  them  :  '  And 
why  must  he  be  alone  ?'  they  asked ;  ascribing 
this  desire  of  mine  to  pride,  I  suppose.  Tempted, 
at  last,  by  money,  they  brought  me  to  a  stable- 
room,  and  Hassan  and  a  number  of  others  planted 
themselves  there  with  me.  My  fever  here  in- 
*  One  of  Mr.  Martyn's  servants. 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  189 

creased  to  a  violent  degree ;  the  heat  in  my  eyes  and 
forehead  was  so  great,  that  the  fire  almost  made 
me  frantic.  I  entreated  that  it  might  be  put  out, 
or  that  I  might  be  carried  out  of  doors.  Neither 
was  attended  to  :  my  servant,  who,  from  my  sitting 
in  that  strange  way  on  the  ground,  believed  me 
delirious,  was  deaf  to  all  I  said.  At  last  I  pushed 
my  head  in  among  the  luggage,  and  lodged  it  on 
the  damp  ground,  and  slept. 

"  Oct.  5th. — Preserving  mercy  made  me  see  the 
light  of  another  morning.  The  sleep  had  refreshed 
me,  but  I  was  feeble  and  shaken  ;  yet  the  merciless 
Hassan  hurried  me  off.  The  stopping  place,  how- 
ever, not  being  distant,  I  reached  it  without  much 
difficulty.  I  expected  to  have  found  it  another 
strong  fort  at  the  end  of  the  pass  ;  but  it  is  a  poor 
little  village  within  the  jaws  of  the  mountains.  I 
was  pretty  well  lodged,  and  felt  tolerably  well  till 
a  little  after  sunset,  when  the  ague  came  on  with  a 
violence  I  had  never  before  experienced ;  I  felt  as 
if  in  a  palsy  :  my  teeth  chattering,  and  my  whole 
frame  violently  shaken.  Aga  Hosyn  and  another 
Persian,  on  their  way  here  from  Constantinople, 
going  to  Abbas  Mirza,  whom  I  had  just  before 
been  visiting,  came  hastily  to  render  me  assistance 
if  they  could.  These  Persians  appear  quite  bro- 
therly after  the  Turks.  While  they  pitied  me, 
Hassan  sat  in  perfect  indifference,  ruminating  on 


190  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

the  further  delay  this  was  likely  to  occasion.  The 
cold  fit,  after  continuing  two  or  three  hours,  was 
followed  by  a  fever,  which  lasted  the  whole  night, 
and  prevented  sleep. 

"  Oct.  6th. — No  horses  being  to  be  had,  I  had 
an  unexpected  repose.  I  sat  in  the  orchard,  and 
thought,  with  sweet  comfort  and  peace,  of  my  God  ; 
in  solitude,  my  company,  my  friend  and  comforter. 
Oh  !  when  shall  time  give  place  to  eternity  !  When 
shall  appear  that  new  heaven  and  new  earth  wherein 
dwelleth  righteousness  !  There,  there  shall  in  no 
wise  enter  in  any  thing  that  defileth :  none  of  that 
wickedness  which  has  made  men  worse  than  wild 
beasts, — none  of  those  corruptions  which  add  still 
more  to  the  miseries  of  mortality,  shall  be  seen  or 
heard  of  any  more." 

These  were  the  last  words  that  Marty n  wrote  ! 
Nothing  more  is  known  of  his  fate  than  that  he 
reached  the  town  of  Tocat,  in  Turkey,  nearly 
six  hundred  miles  from  Tebriz,  and  about  three 
hundred  from  Constantinople,  and  that  he  died  there 
on  the  16th  of  October,  being  in  the  thirty-second 
year  of  his  life.  The  plague  was  raging  when  he 
arrived,  and  his  sickness  and  fatigue  made  him 
very  liable  to  the  disease ;  and  his  weakness  was 
such,  that  he  could  not  long  sustain  it.  No  par- 
ticulars of  his  sickness  and  death  have  ever  been 
learned. 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  191 

Two  American  missionaries,  who  passed  through 
Tocat  in  the  year  1830,  found  his  grave  in  an 
Armenian  bury  ing-place,  covered  with  a  tomb-stone, 
which  had  been  erected  by  an  English  traveller, 
the  year  after  his  interment.  The  only  information 
they  could  obtain  was,  that  Mr.  Martyn  arrived 
there  sick,  that  some  Armenians  gave  him  medicine, 
and  that  he  died  in  four  or  five  days.  As  hundreds 
were  dying  daily  of  the  plague,  it  was  thought  pro- 
bable that  he  was  not  admitted  into  any  private 
house,  and  that  he  died  at  the  post-house.  On  the 
tombstone  is  a  Latin  inscription,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  translation  : 

IN  MEMORY  OF  THE 

REV.  HENRY*  MARTYN,  OF  ENGLAND, 

A  MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL,  AND  A  MISSIONARY  ; 
A  PIOUS,  LEARNED,  AND  FAITHFUL  SERVANT  OF 

THE  LORD, 

WHO  CALLED  HIM  TO  A  STATE  OF  FELICITY, 
WHILST  AT  TOCAT,  ON  HIS  RETURN  TO  HIS 

NATIVE  COUNTRY,  A.  D.   1812. 

C.  J.  R.  INSCRIBED  THIS  STONE  TO  HIS  MEMORY, 
A.  D.  1813. 

There  he  died,  alone,  in  a  land  of  strangers,  with 
not  a  Christian  to  attend  him.     But  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that,  if  his  reason  was  preserved,  he  was 
*  On  the  stone  the  name  is  erroneously  put  William. 


192  LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

happy  in  that  illness,  that  his  faith  in  Christ  ena- 
bled him  to  bear  his  sufferings,  and  to  expect  with 
joy  a  speedy  admittance  to  the  presence  of  his  God 
and  Saviour. — To  an  unpardoned  person  it  is  incredi- 
ble that  a  Christian  can  have  so  strong  an  assurance 
that  his  sins  have  been  forgiven  for  Christ's  sake, 
and  that  God  has  thus  become  reconciled  to  him, 
as  that  he  can  be  happy  in  the  prospect  of  dying* 
But  it  is  certain  that  this  is  often  the  case,  and  that 
Christians,  even  whilst  suffering  the  most  terrible 
pain  in  their  bodies,  have  felt  a  peace  and  joy  in 
the  belief  that  they  were  near  heaven,  greater  than 
all  the  comforts  of  life  have  ever  bestowed  on  them 
or  on  others.  Wherever  the  believer  lives  or  dies, 
Christ  is  with  him.  God  is  his  Father,  and  he  has 
nothing  to  fear.  It  seems  to  us  distressing,  thai 
Martyn  should  die  so  far  away  from  his  home,  and 
his  friends,  in  a  nation  of  idolaters  ;  but  it  is  proba 
ble  these  things  did  not  affect  him,  and  that  the 
dying  missionary  at  Tocat  was  happier  than  he 
would  have  been  in  health  and  peace,  among  his 
friends  in  England.  In  his  lonely  journeys  he 
had  often  been  able  to  quote  the  lines, 

"  In  desert  tracts,  with  Thee,  my  God,   % 
How  happy  could  I  be." 

And  he  doubtless  found  Him  still  nearer  in  his 
dying  hour,  when  flesh  and  strength  failed  him  ; 
for  the  Saviour  adapts  his  consolations  to  the  cir- 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  193 

cumstances  of  his  people,  and  in  proportion  to  their 
necessities,  he  imparts  more  of  the  gifts  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  and  they  are  enabled  to  say,  "  Though 
I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death, 
I  will  fear  no  evil :  for  Thou  art  with  me  ;  thy  rod 
and  thy  staff  comfort  me." 

When  Mr.  Martyn  left  England  for  India,  it  was 
his  expectation  and  desire  to  be  employed  princi* 
pally  in  preaching  to  the  natives.  It  is  evident 
that  this  was  not  the  design  of  Providence,  but  that 
he  was  sent  to  translate  the  scriptures  into  the  lan- 
guages of  Asia,  that  the  gospel  might  thus  be  put 
into  the  hands  of  millions  of  persons  who  were 
wholly  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  a  divine  revela* 
tion.  Mr.  Martyn  in  this  way  did  more  for  the 
evangelizing  of  all  those  nations  who  speak  the 
Hindoostanee,  Arabic,  and  Persian,  during  the  six 
years  that  he  was  in  India,  than  he  could  have  ac* 
complished  by  preaching  to  them  all  his  life.  As 
he  himself  observed  of  the  Arabic  alone,  "  we  will 
begin  to  preach  to  Arabia,  Syria,  Persia,  Tartary 
part  of  India  and  China,  half  of  Africa,  all  the  sea 
coast  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  Turkey,  and  one 
tongue  shall  suffice  for  them  all."  The  Hindoos- 
tanee and  Persian  are  understood  by  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  rest  of  India,  who  do  pot  speak  Arabic, 

He  has  given  them  the  Bible,  and  we  cannot  cal- 
culate th&  amount  of  good  which  will  attend  its  cir- 
R 


194  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

culation.  Without  it  all  the  labours  of  mission- 
aries would  be  in  vain ;  but  with  it,  they  are  sure 
of  the  success  which  God  has  promised  to  attend 
his  own  word.  Besides  the  importance  of  his  ser- 
vices in  this  great  means  of  preparing  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  his  ministry  was  blessed  to  the  conver- 
sion, as  there  is  every  reason  to  believe,  of  several 
of  the  natives.  One  of  these  was  the  fruit  of  his 
labours  in  Cawnpore,  and  was  baptized  at  Calcutta, 
in  the  fortieth  year  of  his  age,  by  the  name  of  Ab- 
dool  Messeeh — "  servant  of  Christ."  He  was 
employed  eight  years  by  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  to  instruct  the  young  in  the  principles  of 
the  Christian  religion,  and  was  ordained  as  a  Lu- 
theran minister  in  1820,  and  as  an  Episcopal  min- 
ister by  Bishop  Heber,  in  1825.  He  died  in 
1827.  Through  his  instrumentality  more  than 
forty  adult  Hindoos  were  brought  to  embrace 
Christianity.* 

Another  instance  of  the  success  of  his  ministry, 
is  furnished  by  a  writer  in  a  foreign  journal,  who 
states  that,  on  a  visit  to  Shiraz  several  years  since, 
he  met  a  Persian  named  Rahem,  who  gave  him  the 
following  account. 

•'  There  came  to  this  city  an  Englishman,  who 
ta  right  the  religion  of  Christ,  with  a  boldness  hith- 
erto unparalleled  in  Persia,  in  the  midst  of  much 
*  See  a  further  account  of  this  person  in  the  Append*!. 


LIFE   OF  HENRY  MARTYN.  105 

scorn  and  ill  treatment  from  our  moollahs,  as  well 
as  the  rabble.  He  was  a  beardless  youth,  and  evi- 
dently enfeebled  by  disease.  He  dwelt  among  us 
for  more  than  a  year.  I  was  then  a  decided  enemy 
to  infidels,  as  the  Christians  are  termed  by  the  fol- 
lowers of  Mohammed,  and  I  visited  this  teacher  of 
the  despised  sect,  with  the  declared  object  of  treat- 
ing him  with  scorn,  and  exposing  his  doctrines  to 
contempt.  Although  I  persevered  for  some  time 
in  this  behaviour  towards  him,  I  found  that  every 
interview  not  only  increased  my  respect  for  the  in- 
dividual, but  diminished  my  confidence  in  the  faith 
in  which  I  was  educated.  His  extreme  forbearance 
towards  the  violence  of  his  opponents,  the  calm  and 
yet  convincing  manner  in  which  he  exposed  the 
fallacies  and  sophistries  by  which  he  was  assailed, 
(for  he  spoke  Persian  excellently,)  gradually  inclin- 
ed me  to  listen  to  his  arguments,  to  inquire  dispas- 
sionately into  the  subject  of  them,  and,  finally,  to 
read  a  tract  which  he  had  written,  in  reply  to  a  de- 
fence of  Islam  by  our  chief  moollahs.  Need  I 
detain  you  longer  ?  The  result  of  my  examination 
was  a  conviction  that  the  young  disputant  wa*> 
right.  Shame,  or  rather  fear,  withheld  me  from 
avowing  this  opinion ;  I  even  avoided  the  society 
of  the  Christian  teacher,  though  he  remained  in  the 
city  so  long.  Just  before  he  quitted  Shiraz,  I  could 
not  refrain  from  paying  him  a  farewell  visit.  Our 


196  LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN. 

conversation, — the  memory  of  it  will  never  fade 
from  the  tablet  of  my  mind, — sealed  my  conversion. 
He  gave  me  a  book — it  has  ever  been  my  constant 
companion — the  study  of  it  has  formed  my  most 
delightful  occupation — its  contents  have  often  con- 
soled me." 

"  Upon  this,"  continues  the  writer,  "  he  put  in- 
to my  hands  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament,  in 
Persian ;  on  one  of  the  blank  leaves  it  was  writ- 
ten,—  There  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth. —  HENRY  MARTYN." 

In  considering  the  life  of  Mr.  Marty n  as  an  ex- 
ample to  ourselves,  we  should  view  his  devotedness 
to  the  service  of  God.  In  this  he  stopped  at  no 
sacrifices,  but  gave  up  his  home,  his  prospects,  his 
health,  that  he  might  labour  to  promote  the  glory 
of  God,  by  bringing  the  heathen  to  acknowledge 
him,  and  to  receive  the  gospel  of  his  blessed  Son. 
This  he  did  willingly  and  cheerfully,  because  he 
loved  the  service  ;  and  because,  as  he  once  said  to  a 
Persian,  he  "  could  not  endure  existence,  if  Jesus 
was  not  glorified."  Another  motive  was  a  desire 
to  bring  men  to  salvation — to  persuade  them  to 
come  to  the  Saviour,  and  learn  the  way  of  eternal 
life.  In  all  this,  he  was  but  discharging  his  duty 
as  a  disciple  of  Christ ;  and  especially  as  a  minister 
of  the  gospel,  obeying  the  divine  command,  "Go 
into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  ever) 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYX.  197 

creature."  Now,  every  Christian  will  be  anxious 
to  be  actively  employed  in  the  service  of  his  Re- 
deemer. He  wrill  not  be  satisfied  with  the  belief 
that  he  is  saved,  and  continue  to  live,  without 
making  any  effort  and  any  self-denials,  to  promote 
the  cause  of  Christianity.  Indeed,  such  a  feeling 
is  a  strong  evidence  that  he  has  never  been  the 
subject  of  grace,  that  he  has  never  felt  the  love  of 
God  in  Christ,  and  seen  from  the  scriptures  that 
he  is  required  to  be  active  in  his  Saviour's  cause. 
The  Holy  Spirit  has  declared,  that  as  a  tree  is 
known  by  its  fruits,  whether  it  be  a  good  one  or 
not,  so  a  true  Christian  is  known  by  the  service  he 
renders  to  God :  and  that  an  unprofitable  servant, 
— a  professed  disciple  who  does  not  improve  the 
opportunities  which  he  has  of  doing  good, — will  be 
rejected  at  the  judgment  day.  The  entire  devotion 
of  ourselves,  and  all  we  have,  to  our  Divine  Mas- 
ter, is  required  of  every  living  being,  as  much 
as  it  was  of  Henry  Marty n :  and  although  every 
one  is  not  called  to  be  a  missionary,  yet  every 
one  may  find  some  field  for  active,  zealous  ser- 
vice. 

Reader, — whether  converted  or  unconverted, — 
have  you  ever  thought  that  you  were  bound  to  serve 
God  thus  ?  have  you  ever  believed  that  God  has  been 
all  your  life  claiming  your  service,  as  your  crea- 
tor, your  preserver,  your  eternal  Father  ?  If  you  are 

R2 


198  LIFE  OF  HENRY  MARTYN. 

not  inclined  to  love  and  serve  him,  "  with  all  your 
heart,  with  all  your  soul,  and  with  all  your  mind," 
ask  yourself  this  moment  why  it  is  so,  and  what 
excuse  you  will  have  to  offer  for  your  neglect, 
when  it  shall  be  charged  upon  you  at  the  day  of 
judgment.  The  commands  of  Christ,  as  has  al- 
ready been  remarked,  are  as  binding  on  you,  as 
any  of  the  commandments  of  the  moral  law ;  and 
if  you  are  not  now  an  active,  sincere  disciple,  living 
by  faith  upon  Him,  and  living  to  his  glory,  the 
guilt  of  your  natural  sinfulness  is  awfully  aggra- 
vated. 

The  zeal  and  devotion  of  Mr.  Martyn  were  not 
beyond  his  duty.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  man 
being  more  holy,  or  doing  more  good  than  God  re- 
quires of  him.  Had  he  done  tenfold  more,  he  could 
not  have,  on  that  account,  procured  the  pardon  of 
a  single  sin.  So  let  not  the  Christian  think  that 
he  deserves  credit  and  praise  for  any  thing  he  may 
do,  or  that  he  thus  gains  a  right  to  heaven.  God 
does,  indeed,  condescend  to  accept  our  services, 
and  to  use  us  as  instruments  of  doing  good,  but  it 
is  he  who  gives  us  both  the  inclination  and  the 
ability  to  serve  him  ;  therefore  he  deserves  all  the 
praise.  Not  that  this  excuses  us  for  being  idle, 
and  waiting  for  him  to  compel  us  to  be  zealous  for 
him.  Our  duty  is  to  pray,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  us  to  do  ?"  and  at  the  same  time  to  be  seek- 


LIFE   OF   HENRY  MARTYN.  199 

ing  out  ways  of  doing  good.  No  person  need  be 
idle  or  useless  a  moment,  who  has  faculties,  pro- 
perty, or  strength,  which  he  can  consecrate.  Let 
every  one,  then,  fix  upon  something  that  will  ab- 
sorb his  attention,  and  resolve,  with  reliance  upon 
the  grace  of  God,  to  expend  every  effort  in  ac- 
complishing it ;  not  to  be  put  back  by  small  dis- 
couragements, but  to  exercise  STRONG  FAITH  IN 
CHRIST.  That  is  the  principle  which  will  enable 
us  to  do  every  thing.  Every  Christian  may  say, 
and  ought  to  feel,  "  I  can  do  all  things  through 
Christ,  who  strengtheneth  me." 

Thus  let  us  act  from  the  principles  of  love  and 
duty,  and  then  we  shall  find  that  God  has  connect- 
ed our  duty  with  our  happiness,  and  that  the  more 
we  sacrifice  for  him — the  more*  danger  and  re- 
proach, and  hardships  we  may  encounter,  the 
greater  will  be  the  peace  and  joy  of  our  souls.  In 
infinite  condescension,  God  speaks  of  rewards  to 
those  who  serve  him.  Oh,  he  would  be  just,  after 
all  our  labours,  to  cast  us  from  his  presence  ;  but 
he  graciously  promises  to  give  his  blessing  to  those 
who  strive  to  do  his  will,  though  they  do  it  imper- 
fectly. And  those  who  have  humbly  and  zealous- 
ly applied  themselves  to  the  single  purpose  of 
living  for  God,  have  found  that  he  has  given 
them  happiness  beyond  what  they  had  conceived. 


200  LIFE   OF   HENRY   MARTVN. 

This  internal  bliss  is  comprehended  in  the  assertion 
of  the  apostle  Paul,  when  he  says,  "  eye  hath  not 
seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared 
for  those  who  love  him ;  but  God  hath  revealed 
them  unto  us  by  his  Spirit.11 


201 


APPENDIX. 


ABDOOL  MESSEEH. 

THE  following  interesting  history  of  this  convert 
is  given  in  a  Report  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society : 

"  He  was  born  at  Delhi.  His  original  name  was 
Shekh  Salih.  His  father  is  considered  a  learned 
man,  and  gains  a  livelihood  by  teaching  children. 
Shekh  Salih  was  instructed  by  his  father,  and  made 
considerable  proficiency  both  in  the  Persian  and 
Arabic  languages. 

"  When  he  was  about  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
he  came  with  his  father  to  Lukhnow,  in  quest 
of  employment ;  and  after  some  time,  became 
moonshee,  first  to  an  English  merchant,  and  then 
to  an  officer  in  the  East  India  Company's  ser- 
vice. At  this  time  Abdool  was  so  zealous  a 
Mussulman,  that  he  induced  a  Hindoo  servant  of 
the  above  officer  to  become  a  Mohammedan.  The 
master  finding  some  fault  with  him  for  his  of- 
ficiousness,  he  was  so  offended  as  to  leave  his 
employ,  and  return  to  Lukhnow,  with  a  deter- 
mination of  having  no  more  communication  with 

201 


202  APPENDIX. 

the  British.  After  this  he  engaged  in  a  varie 
ty  of  pursuits,  and  visited  different  parts  of  the 
country,  being  always  very  attentive,  and  endea- 
vouring to  render  others  so,  to  the  Mohammedan 
observances. 

"  At  length,  after  having  been  about  a  year  in 
some  situation  under  the  Nabob  of  Lukhnow,  he 
went  into  the  Mahratta  country,  and  engaged  as  a 
trooper  in  the  service  of  Ibrahim  Ali  Khan,  one  of 
the  chieftains  of  the  Javudpore  Rajah.  While  under 
the  command  of  this  chief,  Meer  Khan,  another 
chieftain,  at  that  time  in  the  service  of  the  same 
Rajah,  was  sent  to  murder  Rao  Scivac  Sing,  the 
rival  of  the  Javudpore  Rajah.  This  transaction  is 
well  known  in  India.  Meer  Khan  swore  on  the 
Koran,  that  he  came  to  mediate  a  peace  between 
his  employer  and  the  Rao,  whom  he  no  sooner  de- 
coyed into  his  tent,  than,  having  gone  out  on  some 
pretence,  he  caused  the  cords  of  it  to  be  cut,  and 
ordered  his  attendants  to  stab  the  visiters  involved 
in  its  folds.  The  ill-fated  Rao  cut  his  way  through 
the  folds  of  the  tent  with  a  dagger,  and  bravely  de- 
fended himself  until  overpowered  by  numbers  ;  his 
head  was  severed  from  his  body,  and  after  being 
carried  about  in  triumph,  was  sent  to  the  Rajah. 
This  Scivac  Sing,  Abdool  relates,  was  a  young 
man  of  very  interesting  appearance ;  and  pity  for 
his  untimely  death,  with  the  horror  excited  by  the 


APPENDIX.  203 

sight  of  his  head,  exposed  as  a  spectacle,  raised  a 
feeling  of  disgust  at  the  perfidy  of  mankind.  Ab- 
dool  had  hitherto  been  a  stranger  to  such  treachery ; 
and  considering,  as  he  says,  that  he  himself  was 
liable  to  be  made  the  executioner  of  equally  inhu- 
man measures,  he  resolved  on  quitting  the  army, 
and  earning  his  bread  in  some  peaceful  way,  by 
any  labour,  however  degrading.  This  determina- 
tion he  put  in  practice  ;  and  returning  to  Lukh- 
now,  supported  himself  by  preparing  green  paint. 
<l  At  the  end  of  about  a  year,  Abdool  went  to 
Cawnpore  to  visit  his  father,  at  that  time  engaged 
as  private  tutor  in  the  house  of  a  rich  native,  who 
lived  in  the  premises  next  to  those  of  the  Rev.  Henry 
Martyn.  He  here  heard  of  Mr.  Martyn's  preaching 
to  the  poor  natives,  who  assembled  on  the  lawn  be- 
fore his  house  on  Sundays.  He  determined  to  go, 
as  he  expressed  it,  to  see  the  sport.  Mr.  Martyn 
was  explaining  the  commandments  to  the  people, 
when  Abdool  went  to  hear;  and  he  was  struck 
with  the  observations  that  were  made,  and  consid- 
ered them  as  both  reasonable  and  excellent.  He 
had  previously  been  perplexed  about  the  contradic- 
tions maintained  by  the  different  Mohammedan 
sects,  and  this  Christian  instruction  appeared  to 
him  better  than  any  he  had  as  yet  received.  He 
told  his  father  what  opinion  he  had  formed,  and 
begged  him  to  get  him  some  employment  at  Cawn 


204  APPENDIX. 

pore,  where  he  might  hear  of  more  of  these  things 
His  father  was  acquainted  with  a  friend  of  Sabat, 
who  was  then  living  with  Mr.  Martyn  ;  and  through 
this  friend,  Abdool  was  engaged,  in  May  1810,  to 
copy  Persian  writings  for  Sabat.  He  obtained  a 
lodging  on  the  premises,  without  making  known 
his  wishes.  Here  he  had  many  opportunities  of 
obtaining  the  information  which  he  desired,  par- 
ticularly by  inquiring  of  the  native  Christian  chil* 
dren  the  subjects  of  the  lessons  which  they  had 
learned  in  school :  and  by  this  mode,  he  was 
enabled  to  gain  some  insight  into  Divine  Truth. 

"  When  Mr.  Martyn  had  finished  his  translation 
of  the  New  Testament  into  Hindoostanee,  the  book 
was  given  Abdool  to  bind.  This  he  considered  as 
a  fine  opportunity ;  nor  did  he  let  it  slip.  On  read- 
ing the  word  of  God,  he  discovered  his  state,  and 
perceived  therein  a  true  description  of  his  own 
heart.  He  soon  decided  in  favour  of  the  Christian 
religion ;  but  still  concealed  what  was  passing 
within  him,  till  Mr.  Martyn  being  about  to  leave 
Cawnpore  on  account  of  his  health,  Abdool  could 
no  longer  refrain  from  asking  his  advice  with  re- 
spect to  his  future  conduct ;  earnestly  desiring  at 
the  same  time,  to  be  baptized.  It  was  agreed  that 
he  should  go  down  to  Calcutta  with  Sabat  and  Mr. 
Martyn,  from  whom  he  received  a  solemn  warning 
of  the  danger  of  a  false  profession*  During  the 


APPENDIX.  205 

short  period  of  Mr.  Martyn's  stay  at  Calcutta,  he 
was  not  entirely  convinced  of  this  man's  real 
change  of  heart  :  recommending  him,  therefore,  to 
the  notice  of  the  late  Rev.  David  Brown,  he  de- 
parted without  gratifying  Abdool's  wish  for  bap- 
tism. After  five  month's  further  delay,  Mr.  Brown, 
having  observed  his  conduct,  and  being  satisfied 
with  it,  baptized  him  in  the  old  church,  on  Whit- 
Sunday,  1811. 

"  On  this  occasion,  Mr.  Brown  wrote  to  a  friend  : 
'  On  Sunday  last,  I  publicly  baptized  Shekh  Salih. 
It  was  a  most  solemn  and  heart-affecting  occasion. 
Private  notice  was  given,  that  it  would  be  in  the 
afternoon.  Good  people  of  all  ranks  attended,  and 
in  the  evening,  I  preached  on  the  subject.  This 
has  made  a  very  serious  impression  at  Calcutta.  I 
have  had  great  satisfaction  in  the  event.  The  cir- 
cumstances of  his  case  were  remarkable.  May 
we  every  Whit-Sunday  witness  similar  wonders 
of  grace  !  I  made  full  investigation,  and  was 
thoroughly  satisfied  with  the  Shekh's  account 
of  his  conversion.  His  Christian  name  is  Ab- 
dool  Messeeh,  —  «  Servant  of  Christ  ;'  a  particu- 
lar .circumstance  leading  to  the  selection  of  that 


"  From  this  period,  he  was  noticed  by  some 
among  Mr.  Brown's  congregation,  and  gained  from 
their  instruction  a  growing  acquaintance  with  his 
S 


206  APPENDIX. 

own  fallen  state,  and  the  remedy  provided  for  it 
through  the  Saviour. 

"From  Whit-Sunday  1811,  till  last  July,  Abdool 
continued  to  reside  in  Calcutta.  Much  opposition 
he  met  with  from  the  Mohammedans,  who  made 
him  many  offers  of  money,  &c.,  if  he  would  re- 
nounce Christianity,  or  leave  the  place.  Twice, 
on  frivolous  pretences,  he  was  summoned  before 
the  British  magistrate,  and  discharged  with  costs. 
Under  these  circumstances,  his  temper  has  appear- 
ed to  great  advantage,  and  invariably,  such  as  one 
should  have  wished.  To  put  an  end  to  these  vexa- 
tions, he  was  advised  to  remove  to  Chinsurah  in 
July;  where  his  conversation  and  example  produc- 
ed a  good  effect  on  many,  especially  on  a  Roman 
Catholic  Portuguese,  and  the  son  of  an  Armenian 
priest,  who  have  both  expressed  an  intention  of 
following  him  up  the  country,  that  they  may  enjoy 
his  company,  and  partake  of  his  labours." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Corrie  accompanied  Abdool  on  a 
missionary  tour  in  India;  and  from  the  journal 
which  he  kept,  the  following  extracts  are  made. 
Whilst  this  narrative  gives  evidence  of  the  zeal  and 
piety  of  the  individual,  and  thus  exemplifies  the 
power  of  religion,  it  is  interesting  as  a  specimen  of 
the  method  which  missionaries  have  to  pursue  in  Pa- 
gan countries,  and  as  proof  of  the  great  importance 
of  having  native  converts  employed  in  this  work. 


APPENDIX.  207 

"  1812,  Nov.  2Qth. — We  left  the  neighbourhood 
of  Calcutta,  having  two  friends  in  company.  There 
was  a  large  party  of  boatmen  and  servants." 

"  Nov.  29th. — We  rested  in  a  lonely  place.  In 
the  afternoon,  Abdool  collected  the  boatmen  and 
others  on  the  bank,  to  the  number  of  about  forty, 
and  preached  to  them.  He  began  and  ended  with 
a  hymn,  after  the  manner  of  the  Asiatic  religious, 
in  which  he  was  joined  by  the  Christian  children 
and  servants.  His  discourse  was  from  the  latter 
end- of  the  first  chapter  of  St.  Matthew.  He  spoke 
of  our  sinful  state  by  nature,  adducing  many  proofs 
observable  in  their  own  life  and  conversation, 
which  render  a  Saviour  necessary ;  enlarged  on 
the  birth  of  Christ  without  sin,  that  he  might  be  a 
suitable  surety  for  sinners  ;  the  meaning  of  his 
name  Jesus,  Immanuel ;  bringing  forward  proofs 
of  his  divine  power,  and  pointing  out  the  salvation 
which  he  bestows.  The  latter  part  was  very  satis- 
factory indeed,  as  an  evidence  of  his  acquaintance 
with  the  change  which  passes  in  the  Christian's 
mind.  His  discourse  was  intermixed  with  exhor- 
tations to  embrace  the  religion  of  the  only  Saviour. 
Some,  it  seems,  set  light  by  what  they  heard : 
others  approved,  and  said  his  book  contained  more 
weighty  truths  than  their  Shasters." 

"  Dec.  5th. — Saturday.  We  arrived  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  a  Christian  friend,  and  our  party  went 


208  APPENDIX. 

from  the  boats  to  pass  the  Sunday  at  his  house 
and  found,  literally,  in  the  wilderness  God  present 
in  our  little  assembly. 

"  Abdoft  could  not  get  the  boatmen  to  attend 
him ;  and  therefore,  taking  the  Christian  children 
with  him,  he  went  to  a  village  at  a  little  distance, 
and  began  to  sing  his  hymn.  The  whole  village, 
men,  women,  and  children,  soon  gathered  round 
him  ;  he  explained  to  them  the  ten  commandments, 
and  enforced  their  obligation.  They  heard  with 
much  attention." 

"  Dec.  29th. — At  Dinapore  we  were  gratified 
with  the  sight  of  a  large  school  of  native  children, 
kept  by  the  Baptist  missionaries.  They  have 
another  school  in  a  neighbouring  village.  One  of 
the  missionaries  told  me,  that  Mr.  Martyn's  name 
is  held  in  great  esteem  by  the  natives  here  ;  and 
that  the  schools  which  he  had  instituted  \vhen  here, 
had  rendered  the  way  easier ;  for  the  people  now 
send  their  children  to  school  without  scruple.  I  re- 
member it  was  not  so  when  Mr.  Martyn  began  his 
schools." 

"  1813,  Jan.  3. — Sunday.  Our  boat  staid  at  Rib- 
bon Gunge.  In  the  afternoon,  Abdool  went  into 
the  bazar,  and  preached.  At  first,  the  people 
showed  no  attention  ;  but  gradually,  one  and  ano- 
ther stood,  till  a  crowd  collected,  and  more  attention 
seemed  excited  than  at  any  place  before.  .  After 


APPENDIX.  209 

he  had  finished  his  discourse,  the  people  gathered 
round  him,  and  asked  many  questions  about  the 
names  which  he  had  mentioned.  Three  came 
down  to  his  boat  with  him,  and  passed  a  good  deal 
of  the  evening  in  conversation  ;  writing  down  from 
his  lips  what  he  told  them  in  brief  of  Christian 
truth." 

"  Jan.  7th. — At  Baxar.  Early  in  the  morning 
walked  with  Abdool  toward  the  European  barracks. 
On  drawing  near,  some  of  the  native  wives  of  the 
soldiers  recognized  me,  and  several  came  out  and 
expressed  their  gladness  to  see  me,  and  said  they 
should  be  happy  to  have  public  worship.  These 
had  been  of  my  congregation  at  Chunar.  Abdool 
expressed  great  satisfaction,  and  observed  that  this 
was  the  first  time  he  had  seen  native  Christians 
desire  divine  service.  About  ten,  we  had  public 
worship  with  the  Europeans,  the  commanding  of- 
ficer attending.  About  twenty  native  Christians, 
mostly  women,  assembled  in  another  place,  with 
Abdool ;  after  reading  prayers,  he  was  led  to  dis- 
jourse  long  on  subjects  which  occurred  at  the  time, 
and  says  he  never  felt  his  heart  so  drawn  out 
during  any  exercise  as  here.  Several,  also,  of  the 
congregation  were  affected,  even  to  tears." 

"Jan.  10th. — Sunday.  Rested  at  Ghazeepore. 
In  the  afternoon,  Abdool  walked  into  the  native 
town.  Met  with  the  chief  land-owner  in  the  place 


210  APPENDIX. 

and  neighbourhood ;  a  man  of  wealth  and  of  great 
good  nature,  and  much  esteemed  among  his  own 
people,  as  a  holy  man.  After  some  conversation, 
he  invited  Abdool  to  his  house,  where  about  a 
hundred  people  were  assembled,  before  whom 
much  discussion  took  place  about  religion.  The 
above  person  showed  more  disposition  to  at- 
tend than  any  of  them ;  and  begged  to  have  two  , 
copies  of  St.  Matthew,  and  two  of  Persian,  and 
that  all  the  translations  should  be  sent  him  from 
time  to  time." 

"  Jan.  14th. — We  reached  Benares.  On  Friday, 
Abdool  went  up  to  Secrole,  to  visit  a  native  doctoi 
there,  of  Portuguese  origin.  They  had  much  con- 
versation together,  with  which  the  above  person 
expressed  himself  greatly  delighted.  He  thankful- 
ly accepted  a  copy  of  the  morning  prayer  and 
litany,  promising  to  begin  worship  in  his  family. 
Abdool  visited  other  native  Christians  there,  with 
less  satisfaction.  In  returning  to  his  boat,  he  had 
a  long  discussion  with  a  crowd  of  Mussulmans. 

"  On  Saturday,  Abdool  went  to  Chunar ;  and  on 
Sunday  forenoon,  held  public  worship  there.  On 
that,  but  few  attended ;  but  those  were  greatly  af- 
fected ;  many  of  them  even  to  loud  sobbing  and 
tears.  They  earnestly  requested  that  he  would 
preach  again  the  next  day,  which  he  did  to  a  large 
assembly  ;  and  on  Tuesday  also.  They  heard  witft 


APPENDIX.  211 

great  attention,  and  detained  him  long  afterwards 
with  inquiries  on  the  subject  on  which  he  had  ad- 
dressed them.  A  party  came  down  to  his  boat, 
begging  he  would  read  the  scriptures  to  them ; 
and  adding,  £  Alas !  when  master  was  here,'  (mean- 
ing Mr.  Corrie,  who  had  been  chaplain  at  Chunar,) 
'  we  paid  too  little  attention  to  his  labours.  Would 
you  were  to  remain  among  us  !'  " 

"  Jan.  22. — At  Mirzapore,  a  young  man  came 
on  board,  who  said  he  had  followed  from  Chunar, 
on  purpose  to  hear  more  from  Abdool,  and  to  beg 
a  copy  of  the  translation.  He  is  the  son  of  a  Ze- 
mindar, and  appears  serious,  and  full  of  inquiries. 
He  said  he  knew,  that  in  the  latter  days,  all  shall 
become  of  one  religion ;  and  he  supposed  the  time 
to  be  at  hand." 

"  Jan.  23. — In  the  morning  we  arrived  at  Al- 
lahabad. 

"  The  concourse  of  people  assembled  to  cele- 
brate the  annual  bathing  season,  was  unusually 
great.  Every  one  that  bathes  at  the  junction  of 
the  Ganges  and  Jumma,  pays  to  government  a  ru- 
pee ;  and  from  a  calculation  made  two  days  before 
the  close  of  the  festival,  it  was  expected  that  250,000 
rupees  would  be  collected.  Those  who  drown 
themselves  pay  an  additional  sum  to  government. 
One  poor  wretch  had  drowned  himself,  with  the 
usual  ceremonies,  before  our  arrival.  Several  more 


212  APPENDIX. 

had  signified  their  intention  of  doing  so,  at  the 
eclipse  of  the  sun,  on  February  1  ;  and  many,  it 
was  expected,  as  is  annually  the  case,  would,  from 
the  pressure  of  the  crowd,  be  thrust  beyond  their 
depth,  and  perish  in  the  waters.  The  sight  of  such 
a  multitude,  collected  on  so  deplorable  an  occasion, 
could  not  but  affect  a  feeling  mind.  And  is  not  the 
error  of  Balaam  chargeable  on  those,  who,  possess- 
ing the  vision  of  the  Almighty,  love  and  receive  the 
wages  of  such  superstitious  iniquity  ?" 

"  In  going  to  the  house  of  a  merchant,  Abdool 
passed  by  a  mosque,  where  they  were  beginning 
prayers.  He  went  to  the  door,  but  did  not  go  in, 
lest  they  should  raise  a  complaint  against  him  for 
defiling  their  place.  The  reader  began  :  '  O  God, 
enlighten  our  hearts  with  the  light  of  faith  !'  Ab- 
dool said  aloud,  *  Amen !'  The  reader  looked 
round  with  astonishment ;  and  after  observing,  be- 
gan again  the  same  sentence  ;  to  which  Abdool 
again  repeated  aloud,  *  Amen  !'  The  reader  pro- 
ceeded, and  Abdool  was  silent  the  rest  of  the  ser- 
vice. When  it  was  ended,  some  of  them  came 
round  him,  and  inquired,  '  You  said  Amen  to  the 
first  sentence,  but  to  no  other ;  why  was  this  ?' 

"  Md.  '  Because  the  first  sentence  was  right, 
and  was  the  prayer  of  holy  men  of  old ;  but  the 
latter  part  is  an  invention  of  late  date.' 

44  Query. — '  How  do  you  make  that  appear?' 


APPENDIX.  213 

«<  Md. — 'You  add  the  name  of  Aububeckar  to 
that  of  Mohammed  •  so  that,  by  your  own  confes- 
sion, that  is  added  since  Mohammed's  time.' 

"  Some  of  them  now  suspected,  and  inquired  if 
he  were  not  such  an  one.  This  led  to  an  under- 
standing, and  a  long  dispute,  in  which  he  explain- 
ed to  them  many  of  our  customs  in  worship,  and 
made  appeals  to  their  conscience.  One  asked,  if 
he  were  not  affected  by  the  contempt  of  his  former 
friends,  and  wondered  he  could  be  so  hardened  as 
thus  openly  to  contend  for  Christianity. 

"  tfbd.—'  I  am,  indeed,  affected ;  and  my  heart 
by  no  means  approves  of  your  opposition  ;  and  you 
know,  that  at  Lukhnow,  had  such  things  been  said 
to  me,  how  I  should  have  resisted ;  but  now  I  am 
withheld.  I  am  no  longer  in  my  own  keeping,  but 
in  the  power  of  another.' 

"  These  asked  who  that  might  be.  He  answer- 
ed, *  I  am  restrained,  and  enabled  to  bear  your 
reproach,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.'  They 
were  silent. 

"  He  went  last  to  the  old  merchant,  who  has  a 
house  at  Delhi,  where  he  formerly  resided,  and 
with  some  of  whose  children  Abdool  was  educated. 
He  treated  Abdool  with  more  affection  than  any  of 
the  others  :  and  was  much  moved  by  his  exhorta- 
tions to  seek  salvation  from  Christ,  at  the  eleventh 
hour.  He,  and  two  others  of  the  whole  crowd  as- 


214  APPENDIX. 

sembled,  took  *  copy  of  St.  Matthew's  Gospel. 
Many  might  have  been  given  away  ;  but  where  no 
disposition  appeared  to  read  them,  it  was  thought 
best  not  to  give  them. 

"  In  one  company,  Abdool  had  occasion  to  men- 
tion his  having  been  baptized  by  Mr.  Brown. 
Some  one  inquired,  « Where  is  Mr.  Brown  now  ?' 

"  Md. — '  He  is  where  he  has  long  intended  to 
go.  He  is  no  longer  in  this  world.'  They  said, 
*  That  is  very  well !  May  you  soon  go  after  him, 
and  no  longer  make  this  ado  about  your  religion !' 

"  McL — '  I  do,  indeed,  desire  to  be  where  Mr. 
Brown  is,  and  care  not  how  soon  I  may  be  taken : 
but  think  not  this  religion  depends  on  Mr.  Brown, 
or  on  me  :  for  if  I  were  taken  away,  God  can  raise 
up  one  from  among  your  own  selves,  to  supply  my 
place.' " 

"  Feb.  5th. — An  event  occurred  to  day,  which 
Abdool  related  with  great  pleasure.  At  Monick- 
pore  resides  an  aged  man,  of  venerable  appearance, 
with  a  flowing  white  beard,  who  is  considered  a 
holy  man.  He  is  the  proprietor  of  several  villages, 
and  is  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  good  nature 
He  has  many  servants,  and  many  disciples,  and 
keeps  open  house  for  travellers.  On  these  accounts 
he  is  much  venerated  by  his  neighbours.  His  place 
of  worship  is  held  very  sacred,  and  many  go 
thither  as  on  a  kind  of  pilgrimage.  On  Abdool 


APPENDIX.  215 

Booking  in  at  the  outer  gate  of  the  premises,  one 
who  was  going  in  said,  *  Come  in,  and  pay  your 
devotions.' 

"  Md.—<  What  place  is  this  ?' 

"  *  It  is  a  holy  place  ;  come  in.' 

"  Md* — '  What  advantage  will  arise  from  my 
going  in  ?' 

"  Stranger. — *  Why,  every  body  goes.' 

"  Md. — '  Though  every  body  should  act  sense- 
lessly, why  should  1  ?' 

"  On  this  the  old  man  came  out,  and  asked  Ab- 
dool  who  he  was  ? 

"  Jlbd* — 4 1  am  one  of  mankind,  a  servant  of 
God,' 

"  The  master  of  the  house  pressed  him  to  go  in ; 
and  ordered  food  to  be  brought  for  him,  and  for  a 
Christian  lad  who  was  with  him.  On  the  food  be- 
ing brought,  he  himself  set  it  before  them,  and 
begged  them  to  eat. 

"  Jtbd. — '  Excuse  me  ;  I  may  not  eat  of  your 
dishes :  not  that  I  have  any  objection  to  eat  with 
you,  or  with  any  one  :  but  I  am  a  Christian ;  and 
should  I  eat  with  you,  your  disciples  would  say 
you  had  lost  caste.' 

" '  You  are,  at  all  events,  a  good  man,  for  4thus 
explaining  to  me,  and  I  am  happy  to  see  you. 
°ray,  have  the  English  any  books  beside  histories 
and  books  of  amusement  ?' 


216  APPENDIX. 


'  Yes,  surely  ;  they  have  the  books  of 
Moses,  of  the  Prophets,  and  the  Gospel  All  the 
ancient  books  are  in  their  possession.' 

"  l  Yes  !  the  law,  the  psalms,  the  gospel,  and 
the  koran.  I  know  there  .are  four  divine  books.' 

"  Md.  —  '  Well  !  all  these  are  in  the  hands  of 
the  English  ;  though  of  these  there  are  many  books 
which  you  include  under  the  name  of  the  law  ;' 
mentioning  Isaiah  and  Daniel,  and  saying  that  Da- 
vid was  the  author  of  the  Psalms. 

"  <  Well,'  said  the  old  man,  '  I  never  knew  that 
before  ;  and  have  the  English  any  kind  of  worship 
among  them  ?' 

"  Jlbd.  —  '  Certainly  they  have  :  but  they  are 
taught  to  shut  their  door,  and  to  pray  Jo  their 
Father  who  seeth  in  secret.  They  place  no  de- 
pendence on  outward  observances  for  salvation. 
Wliy,  if  you  are  to  be  judged  according  to  your 
Dpinions,  by  your  works,  you  must  be  condemned. 
You  are  required  to  have  on  clean  clothes  when 
you  worship  ;  and  that  is  easily  obeyed  :  but  then 
you  are  also  to  exclude  the  world  from  your  mind, 
and  to  worship  with  the  heart  intensely  fixed  on 
God,  (repeating  a  verse  of  the  koran  in  proof.) 
Now,  do  you  thus  fulfil  the  precept  ?' 

"  The  old  man  said,  '  Oh  no  !' 

"  Md.  —  '  Then  are  you  not  an  offender  ?' 

"'Alas!  yes.' 


APPENDIX.  217 

. — *  Now  the  Christians  are  taught  to  be- 
lieve in  Jesus,  as  enduring  the  shame  and  pain  of 
death,  on  the  cross,  which  they  deserve ;  and  that, 
through  faith  in  his  sufferings,  they  shall  be  saved 
They  do  indeed  obey  God ;  yet  not  of  themselves, 
but  by  his  grace  :  and  their  obedience  attends  theii 
salvation,  though  not  as  the  price  of  it.' 

"  The  old  man  expressed  great  thankfulness  ? 
said  he  had  never  heard  such  things  before ;  told 
his  disciples  these  were  true  words,  and  begged  a 
copy  of  the  Gospel :  for  which,  as  Abdool  had  not 
taken  one  with  him,  he  walked  down,  attended  by 
his  retinue.  On  parting,  he  begged  Abdool  would 
give  him  a  sentence  to  remember.  This  is  a  cus- 
tom between  spiritual  guides,  when  they  part  after 
a  visit ;  and  the  most  absurd  expressions  are  com- 
mon among  them  on  these  occasions.  Abdool  said, 
'  There  is  no  such  custom  among  Christians  ;  but 
I  can  tell  you  one  sentence,  which,  if  you  remem- 
ber and  believe,  may  be  of  service  to  you  ;  and  that 
is,  «  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
cleanseth  from  all  sin !'  He  requested  Abdool 
would  write  to  him,  from  time  to  time,  on  such 
subjects. 

"  Feb.  13th. — Saturday,   arrived  at  Cawnpore. 

On  Sunday,  AbdooFs  brother,  and  his  nephew, 

came  from  Lukhnow  to  meet  him.     They  received 

him  with  great  affection,  and  wished  to  eat  with 

T 


218  APPENDIX. 

him,  and  to  be  one  with  him  in  all  things,  Ab- 
dool  wisely  would  not  suffer  them,  until  they  should 
understand  the  grounds  of  his  conversion,  when 
they  might  choose.  They  brought  word  that  a 
great  stir  had  been  made  in  Lukhnow,  on  the  re- 
port of  his  baptism  reaching  that  place.  One  night 
a  crowd  collected  at  his  father's  house,  and  de- 
manded that  he  should  openly  renounce  his  apostate 
son,  or  they  should  suspect  him  also  of  becoming 
a  Christian.  He  and  the  brothers  declared  they 
would  not  renounce  Abdool,  who  always  behaved 
kindly,  and  now  wrote  to  them  with  great  affection. 
A  tumult  ensued,  which  required  the  interference 
of  the  cutwal,  or  mayor ;  and  the  report  was  car- 
ried to  the  Nabob's  sons,  if  not  to  the  Nabob  him- 
self. The  great  men  took  the  part  of  Abdool's 
family,  and  threatened  the  other  party.  These 
circumstances  were  partly  known ;  and  it  had  been 
determined  as  most  advisable  for  Abdool,  not  to  go 
to  Lukhnow  for  the  present ;  but  on  being  told  of 
his  family's  continued  good  will  and  favourable 
disposition  to  the  gospel,  as  also  that  his  father, 
mother,  brothers,  and  sisters,  with  their  children, 
had  determined  on  coming  to  see  him,  if  he  would 
not  go  over — the  sisters  also  resolving  to  risk  the 
displeasure  of  their  husbands  rather  than  not  see 
him — Abdool  thought  he  ought  to  go ;  and  we, 
commending  him  to  the  Lord,  sent  him,  with  his 


APPENDIX.  219 

brother  and  nephew,  with  one  servant  to  bring  us 
word  of  his  welfare. 

"  Abdool  is  well  known  here,  and  his  return  has 
excited  much  talk  about  religion.  It  would  occupy 
too  much  time  to  record  every  part  of  the  conver- 
sation which  he  held  the  first  day  he  went  to  the 
Bazar.  It  would  explain  exactly  what  is  recorded 
of  St.  Paul's  disputing  daily  in  the  market.  Acts 
xvii.  17. 

"  One  circumstance  seems  worthy  to  be  remem- 
bered, as  it  shows  that  the  natives  are  well  aware 
that  Christianity  requires  diligence  in  business.  A 
Faqueer  by  trade,  on  seeing  Abdool,  cried  out, 
4  Ho  !  you  seller  of  (your)  faith,  will  you  give  me 
any  thing  ?' 

"  Jlbd. — '  If  you  desire  to  purchase  spiritual 
blessings,  I  may,  perhaps,  be  able  to  supply  you ; 
but,  as  to  worldly  things,  I  have  little  to  give. 
What  I  have,  I  labour  for,  and  you  are  able  to  work 
for  your  provision,  as  well  as  I.' 

"  The  Faqueer  replied,  « So  I  expected ;  now 
you  are  become  English,  you  would  be  for  setting 
me  to  work. — I  know  their  way  is,  work  for  your 
bread  !  work  for  your  bread  !' 

"  On  the  evening  of  Sunday  the  21st,  we  were 
agreeably  surprised  by  the  return  of  Abdool  from 
Lukhnow.  He  found  the  ill-will  of  his  former 
friends  so  much  excited,  that  he  did  not  leave  his 


220  APPENDIX. 

father's  house,  during  the  day  he  staid  there.  In 
the  evening  he  went  to  a  friend's  house,  and  had 
much  discussion  on  the  subject  of  religion.  He 
gave  ten  copies  of  St.  Matthew  to  different  persons 
who  desired  them,  and  prudently  withdrew  private- 
ly ;  and  praised  God,  he  says,  when  he  set  foot  on 
British  territory. 

"  Two  days  after  his  return,  his  father,  two  bro- 
thers, and  two  nephews,  came  over.  Their  preju- 
dices appear  removed.  They  joined  in  prayer, 
both  in  private  and  in  church,  and  declared  their 
intention  of  embracing  Christianity.  Most  of  their 
inquiries  were  on  the  subject  of  our  Lord's  divini- 
ty, of  which,  after  having  seen  the  evidences  from 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  they  seemed  con- 
vinced. Their  parting  with  Abdool  was  very  af- 
fecting. The  old  man  threw  his  arms  round  his 
son's  neck,  and  wept  plentifully.  Abdool  was 
much  moved,  and  said,  *  I  pray,  sir,  forbear  your 
tears.  My  Lord  hath  said,  He  that  loveth  brother, 
or  sister,  or  father,  or  mother,  more  than  me,  is 
not  worthy  of  me.' 

"  «  Well,  well,'  said  the  old  man  ;  '  but  I  am  re- 
turning to  calamity;  I  know  many  will  try  to 
trouble  me ;  but  I  will  give  up  these,'  turning  to 
his  two  grand-children,  '  to  be  educated  in  Christi- 
anity ;  I  commit  them  to  Jesus  Christ !  God  grant 
that  that  country  (Lukhnow)  may  soon  come  inte 


APPENDIX.  221 

the  possession  of  the  British  !  Then  we  might 
live  in  peace.'  Abdool  reminded  him,  that  God 
would  deliver  him,  and  that  His  peace  is  alone 
worth  caring  for.  '  True,'  said  the  younger  bro- 
ther, '  and  these  lads  we  commit  to  Christ !  During 
the  rains  I  also  will  come  and  stay  some  months 
with  you.' " 

"  March  18th,  1813. — Arrived  at  Agra.  Abdool 
had  come  on  some  days  before,  and  related  several 
conversations  with  persons  on  the  way,  about  re- 
ligion. Many  copies  of  St.  Matthew  given  away. 

"  Sunday,  March  21. — About  three  P.  M.  six 
native  Christians,  beside  the  children,  &c.  attended 
Hindoostanee  worship  in  the  fort,  with  whom  Ab- 
dool read  prayers,  and  expounded  Luke  v.,  it  being 
the  chapter  in  order  of  reading.  In  the  evening 
many  hundreds  of  the  poor  assembled  near  the  fort, 
to  whom  Abdool  read  and  explained  briefly  the  ten 
commandments.  Many  cried  out,  «  These  are  true 
words ;  and  the  curse  of  God  will  be  upon  us  if 
we  obey  them  not !' 

"  March  22. — Set  our  native  school  in  order,  by 
appointing  six  of  the  head  boys  to  learn  English 
on  the  new  British  plan,  that  some  or  all  of  them 
might,  through  the  divine  blessing,  become  trans- 
lators. They  all  continue  to  learn  the  catechism 
in  the  mornings,  with  Persian  during  the  day ;  and 
attend  morning  and  evening  worship,  in  which  Ab- 

T2 


222  APPENDIX. 

dool  officiates,  by  reading  a  chapter,  and 
remarks  upon  it,  using  some  prayers  from  the  lit^ 
urgy  afterward. 

"  Sunday,  March  28th. — At  three  o'clock,  the 
native  congregation  of  Christians  consisted  of  about 
forty  persons.  Abdool  explained  the  Gospel  of  St. 
Luke  in  order,  and  read  and  commented  on  the 
fourteenth  chapter.  Some  of  the  people  staid  to 
inquire  who  he  was,  and  said  they  felt  their  hearts 
much  affected  whilst  he  was  addressing  them.  In 
the  evening  he  went  into  the  town.  A  great  crowd 
collected  to  receive  charity.  Before  he  distributed  it, 
he  explained  the  original  state  and  the  fall  of  man. 
Many  sat  quietly ;  evidently  more  taken  up  with 
the  discourse,  than  with  their  own  necessities. 
Daily  some  of  the  Mohammedans  come  to  converse 
with  Abdool. 

"  April  3. — This  evening  he  went  to  visit  a  very 
old  man,  accounted  by  the  Mohammedans  a  holy 
man,  and  resorted  to  by  many  of  them.  He  had  been 
a  scholar  of  Abdool's  grandfather,  and  had  repeat- 
edly expressed  a  desire  to  see  Abdool.  Many  were 
collected  at  the  old  man's  house.  Some  asked,  \vho 
Abdool  was.  The  old  man  told  them,  mentioning 
many  circumstances  respecting  the  respectability 
of  his  family  :  among  others,  that  Abdool's  mo- 
ther's brother,  is  president  of  the  Royal  Moham- 
medan College  at  Delhi.  They  then  asked  Adbool 


APPENDIX.  223 

whence  he  now  came  ;  and  on  being  told  that  he 
was  a  certain  Englishman's  disciple,  they  inquired 
what  he  had  learnt.  He  replied,  he  had  gained 
some  valuable  information  in  religion.  One  of 
them  said,  '  What  connexion  has  religion  with  the 
English  ?  Their  native  country  is  a  small  island, 
where  they  can  know  nothing  ;  and  in  this  country, 
what  benefit  in  religion  can  you  reap  from  them  ?' 
Abdool  told  him,  that  he  spoke  thus,  for  want  of 
information.  The  old  man  made  a  sign  for  Abdool 
to  desist.  Abdool  said,  4  If  you  are  afraid  1  should 
be  disgraced  before  this  company,  pray  understand 
that  I  go  into  the  Bazar  to  speak  on  these  subjects, 
and  am  not  ashamed  of  Christianity,  that  I  should 
flatter,  or  deal  in  ambiguous  language.' 

"  '  Well,'  said  the  old  man,  'but  now  leave  off, 
and  come  among  us  from  time  to  time ;  we  shall 
be  happy  to  see  you.' 

"  The  discussion  was  thus  interrupted,  and  no- 
thing satisfactory  could  afterward  be  introduced ; 
so  Abdool  rose  to  go.  They  again  invited  him  to 
frequent  their  society  ;  he  replied,  he  had  not  time 
to  spare  for  mere  visiting ;  bat  if  they  would  allow 
him  to  read  a  chapter  in  the  gospel  every  time  he 
came,  he  would  wait  on  them  as  often  as  they 
pleased.  They  expressed  a  wish  that  this  might 
be  the  case.  Time  will  prove  their  sincerity." 

"  Sunday,  April  ^th. — In  the  afternoon,  at  three, 


f 

224  APPENDIX. 

fewer  native  Christians  attended  Hindoostanee  wor 
ship  ;  but  a  great  many  servants  of  the  gentlemen 
who  live  in  the  fort,  came  to  hear,  behaved  very 
orderly,  and  heard  with  much  attention  the  expla- 
nation of  the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son.  In  the 
evening  Abdool  explained  the  Apostle's  creed,  to 
multitudes  of  natives,  collected  outside  the  fort, 
who  all  behaved  respectfully  to  him. 

*'  April  5th. — After  morning  worship  Abdool 
took  the  children,  and  went  into  the  fort,  to  be 
ready  for  the  afternoon.  When  all  the  children 
were  collected,  he  read  to  them  the  story  of  '  Hen- 
ry and  his  Bearer.'  They  all  expressed  great 
delight.  When  he  had  finished,  the  eldest  of 
his  nephews  said,  '  Now  I  must  of  necessity  be 
baptized.' 

"Sunday,  April  \\tli. — About  nine  o'clock, 
while  the  native  Christian  children  and  servants 
were  at  worship,  a  venerable  old  man,  who  says  he  is 
ninety  years  of  age,  came  from  the  Tage  to  Abdool's. 
The  tears  began  to  roll  down  his  cheeks,  as  they 
proceeded  in  the  service  :  toward  the  end,  he  re- 
peated '  Amen'  heartily,  after  each  petition.  When 
prayers  were  ended,  he  went  up  to  Abdool,  and 
embraced  him ;  who  said,  *  Do  you  know  that  I 
am  a  Christian  ?'  He  answered,  '  Yes  :  I  heard 
so  yesterday.  I  have  often  seen  the  English  at 
worship,  but  never  understood  their  language  ;  but 


APPENDIX.  225 

your  prayers  are  most  excellent,  and  my  soul  has 
been  greatly  refreshed  by  them.' 

"  May  5th. — To-day  a  Mohammedan  physician 
sent  to  request  that  Abdool  would  visit  him  in  the 
evening.  He  accordingly  went,  and  found  him  as 
an  attendant  on  the  Royal  Family  at  Jondpore.  He 
has  leave  to  visit  Agra,  owing  to  sickness  in  his 
family,  which  required  change  of  air.  He  had 
heard  of  AbdooPs  conversion  yesterday,  and  could 
not  believe  he  was  the  person  he  pretended  to  be. 
He  offered  to  bet  2000  rupees,  that  a  person  of  the 
family  described,  could  not  change  his  religion. 
He  moreover  said,  if  he  were  such  a  one,  he  must 
know  him,  for  they  were  at  school  together ;  and 
he  would  send  for  this  person,  (viz.  Abdool  Mes- 
seeh,)  and  prove  him  to  be  an  impostor.  On  Ab- 
dool's  going  to  his  house,  nothing  could  exceed  the 
physician's  astonishment,  to  find  him  the  very  per- 
son described,  and  his  own  school-fellow.  They 
had  a  long  and  friendly  conversation  about  their 
former  intercourse,  and  read  several  chapters  in  St. 
Matthew,  and  other  parts  of  the  New  Testament. 
On  Abdool's  answering  his  objections,  he  said, 
'  This  is  the  way  I  understand  you  did  yesterday, 
silencing  every  body  by  reference  to  their  own  cus- 
toms :  and  so  I  perceive  Islam  will  not  stand.'  He 
took  a  copy  of  St.  Matthew,  and  desired  to  have 
the  whole  New  Testament 


226  APPENDIX. 

"  Sunday,  May,  9th. — In  the  evening,  out  of 
the  fort,  a  greater  number  than  ever  was  collected, 
with  evident  desire  to  hear  the  Word.  They  check- 
ed one  another,  in  order  to  preserve  silence.  One, 
impatient  at  the  noise  around  him,  cried  aloud, 
4  Keep  silence,  ye  accursed,  and  let  us  hear  the 
Word !  Ye  have  six  days  in  the  week,  have  ye 
not,  to  babble  and  talk  ?'  The  subject  was,  '  This 
is  a  faithful  saying'  Several  were  in  tears.  One 
man  came  forward,  and  declared  he  would  be  a 
Christian.  He  was  sick,  had  long  been  ill,  did  not 
expect  to  live  long,  and  these  words  comforted 
him.  He  had  never  before  heard  such  comfortable 
words. 

"  One  evening,  during  the  preceding  week,  Ab- 
dool  went  into  the  city.  A  number  of  people  col- 
lected round  him,  and  entered  into  conversation ;  at 
length,  they  begged  that  he  would  sit  down,  and 
read  them  a  chapter.  He  did  so,  and  read  the 
eleventh  of  John.  One  of  them  told  him,  *  if  you 
would  have  us  become  Christians,  you  must  come 
among  us,  and  teach  us  the  gospel.  Come  and  live 
among  us,  and  we  will  attend  you  daily.' 

"  Sunday,  June  6th. — The  attendance  in  the 
fort  was  as  usual ;  and  in  the  evening,  without  the 
fort,  the  crowd  was  beyond  all  former  example. 
Even  the  tops  of  some  of  the  houses,  were  covered 
with  Mohammedans  ;  but  those  of  the  crowd  who 


APPENDIX.  227 

could  not  hear,  by  their  pressing  and  eagerness  to 
get  forward,  prevented  much  of  what  Abdool  said 
from  being  heard. 

"June  7th. — The  whole  day  was  passed  by 
Abdool  in  the  city ;  and  his  house  was  like  an  ex- 
change, from  morning  till  night.  More  copies  of 
the  scriptures  were  sought  for ;  and  one  moonshee 
began  to  read  St.  Matthew  with  Abdool.  Three 
children  were  brought  to  school,  and  the  people 
speak  with  much  admiration  of  the  establishment 
of  a  free  school. 

"  June  9th. — Numbers  of  people  visited  Abdool 
again  to-day,  and  many  interesting  conversations 
took  place.  An  old  Mohammedan,  uncle  to  one 
of  the  principal  men  in  the  city,  was  asked,  on  go- 
ing away,  what  he  thought  of  Abdool.  He  an- 
swered, '  What  can  I  say  ?  He  says  nothing  amiss ; 
and  nothing  can  be  objected  to  the  Gospel ;  what 
can  I  say  ?' 

"  June  10th. — To-day  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
witnessed  a  triumph.  For  three  weeks  past,  a  fa- 
queer,  of  the  Jogi  tribe,  has  come  frequently  to  our 
morning  worship,  in  the  school.  On  Tuesday  the 
chapter  to  be  read  in  order  was  John  xvii.  The 
subject  of  it,  and  our  Lord's  manner  toward  his 
disciples,  arrested  the  attention  of  the  Jogi,  and  the 
tears  flowed  plentifully  down  his  cheeks.  To-day 
he  brought  his  wife  and  child ;  said  he  was  a  con- 


228  APPENDIX. 

vert  to  Jesus,  without  reserve  ;  and  began  of  him 
self  to  take  off  his  Faqueer's  dress.  He  first  took 
the  beads  from  off  his  neck  ;  then  broke  the  string 
to  which  the  charm  given  him  by  his  gooroo  was 
suspended ;  then  broke  off  an  iron  ring  worn  round 
his  waist,  and  to  which  an  iron  rod,  about  two  feet 
long,  was  attached.  He  then  put  on  some,,  old 
clothes,  which  we  had  by  us,  and  said,  now  he 
wished  to  be  instructed  in  the  Gospel,  and  to  get 
employment.  A  rupee  was  given  to  procure  food 
for  the  family,  with  which  the  wife  went  and 
bought  a  spinning  wheel,  saying,  she  would  spin 
and  earn  their  livelihood.  These  are  wonders  in 
the  history  of  a  Hindoo.  The  whole  family  after- 
ward ate  their  dinner  with  Abdool,  of  their  own 
accord. 

"  To-day,  also,  an  old  woman  who  has  constant 
ly  heard  Abdool  on  Sundays,  brought  her  little  all 
from  the  house  of  a  Mohammedan,  where  she  had 
long  lived,  and  took  up  her  abode  among  the  Chris- 
tians, expressing  a  heart-affecting  sense  of  her  value 
for  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

"  A  leper  too,  who  has  spent  years  in  religious 
observances,  without  finding  rest  to  his  mind,  and 
who  has  been  some  time  in  constant  attendance  on 
the  means  of  grace,  took  up  his  abode  with  us, 
saying,  Jesus  would  cure  the  inward  leprosy  of  his 
soul. 


APPENDIX.  229 

"The  old  soldier  also,  and  hi?  wife  and  son, 
have  cast  in  their  lot  with  us. 

"  The  school  to-day  increased  to  ten,  expressly 
under  the  idea  that  it  is  a  Christian  institution. 

"June  12th. — The  whole  city  seems  moved 
with  this  new  thing  which  is  come  unto  them  ;  but 
not  a  tongue  stirs  in  opposition.  As  a  proof  of 
this,  the  Mooftee  of  the  court,  whose  father  is  Kha- 
zee  ol  Kazat,  or  Native  Chief  Justice  of  the  Com- 
pany's head  court  in  Calcutta,  sent  to  beg  that 
Abdool  would  forget  the  attempt  that  had  been  made 
by  his  relatives  in  Calcutta,  to  procure  his  impri- 
sonment, and  would  visit  him,  (the  Mooftee,)  and 
be  friends  with  him. 

"  It  would  be  no  easy  task  to  record  all  the  in- 
teresting discussions  which  have  taken  place,  during 
these  two  days,  between  Abdool  and  the  principal 
Mohammedans  in  the  city.  One  of  them  observed, 
that  Abdool  was  so  provided  with  armour,  that 
none  of  their  weapons  (arguments)  could  reach 
him. 

"June  18th. — To-day,  Abdool  was  informed, 
that  the  kazee  (judge)  is  taking  pains  to  prevent 
the  children  from  coming  to  school,  and  the  people 
from  visiting  him.  Some  of  the  children  said  to 
him,  on  his  forbidding  them  to  go  to  school  to 
Abdool,  *  Will  you  then  instruct  us  gratis,  as  he 
does  *' 

U 


230  APPENDIX. 

"  June  25th. — Yesterday,  as  Abdool  was  read- 
ing and  explaining  Acts  iv.  at  his  house  in  the  city, 
an  extraordinary  instance  of  Divine  power  attend- 
ing the  Word,  appeared.  A  youth  about  fifteen,  a 
Brahmin  of  the  Gour  caste,  had  come,  among 
others,  to  see  and  hear  this  new  thing.  Abdool 
observed  him  very  attentive  ;  and  as  he  proceeded, 
and  was  explaining  verse  12,  «  Neither  is  there  sal- 
vation in  any  other,  for  there  is  none  other  name 
given  among  men,  whereby  we  can  be  saved,'  the 
lad  seemed  greatly  agitated,  and  breaking  off  his 
Brahmin's  cord,  threw  it  away.  All  who  were 
present  observed  what  he  did,  but  no  notice  was 
then  taken.  After  the  congregation  went  away,  the 
.ad  remained  ;  said  he  would  embrace  the  Christian 
religion,  and,  in  short,  of  his  own  accord  ate  with 
Abdool,  and  came  home  with  him  in  the  evening." 

"July  6th. — To-day  the  Rajah  Ram  Narian 
passed  most  of  the  day  here.  He  is  son  of  the 
brother  of  the  well  known  Cheyt  Sing,  Rajah  of 
Benares,  who  was  finally  set  aside  from  the  rajah- 
ship  by  the  Honourable  Company,  on  the  murder 
of  Mr.  Cherry,  and  the  present  family  placed  on 
the  musnud,  who  are  of  the  female  line.  On  June 
9th,  this  Rajah  Ram  Narian  called  upon  me,  (Rev. 
Mr.  Corrie.)  He  had  passed  the  greatest  part  of 
a  day  at  Cawnpore,  with  the  late  Mr.  Martyn, 
with  whom  I  was  then  an  inmate.  Since  then,  he 


APPENDIX.  231 

has  been  visiting  about  among  the  Mahratta  princes 
and  on  arriving  here,  and  hearing  of  my  being  here 
he  came  to  call  upon  me.  After  some  time,  he  en- 
tered into  a  detail  of  the  misfortunes  of  his  family. 
I  heard  him  out,  and  then  endeavoured  to  show 
him,  that  all  worldly  expectations  were  thus  de- 
luding; and  that,  though  we  should  gain  our  end 
in  the  world,  we  must  leave  it,  and  go  to  give  ac- 
count to  God :  whilst  those,  who  know  and  love 
the  true  God,  have  a  never-failing  portion.  Abdool, 
who  was  present,  took  up  the  subject.  The  young 
man  was  roused  to  attention,  came  to  see  us  day 
after  day,  and  expressed  very  freely  in  public  his 
approbation  of  the  Gospel,  becoming  daily  more 
serious  and  earnest  in  his  religious  inquiries.  At 
length,  he  became  suspected  of  an  inclination  to 
Christianity.  Crowds,  both  of  Hindoos  and  Mus- 
sulmans, visited  him  daily,  to  dissuade  him  from 
associating  with  Abdool.  On  the  2d  inst.,  he  took 
up  his  abode  with  Abdool,  in  the  city ;  and  now, 
the  whole  city  seemed  moved.  Day  and  night,  he 
was  beset  by  people,  many  of  whom  had  never 
seen  him,  or  heard  of  him  until  now  ;  and  the  agi- 
tation of  mind  occasioned  thereby,  made  him  quite 
unwell.  To-day  he  is  much  indisposed,  yet  came 
out  to  see  me.  After  some  previous  conversation, 
I  said  to  him,  4  If  your  intention  of  embracing 
Christianity  be  sincere,  I  do  most  heartily  invite 


232  APPENDIX. 

you  to  occupy  these  rooms,'  in  which  we  were  sit- 
ting, '  and  in  all  respects,  to  consider  me  as  a  bro- 
ther :  only  I  am  anxious  that  no  worldly  motive 
should  enter  into  your  resolutions,  and  that  no  one 
should  be  able  to  say,  you  were  influenced  by  tem- 
poral considerations.'  He  answered,  very  distinctly 
and  deliberately,  '  Sir,  in  respect  of  name,  what 
can  I  propose  to  myself  by  the  change  ?  My  fami- 
ly is  the  chief  among  the  Hindoos,  being  Brahmins, 
and  lords  of  the  holy  city.  In  respect  to  provision, 
you  know  how  I  have  lived,  and  could  still  live :' 
— he  told  me  before,  that  he  could  collect  400  ru- 
pees a  month,  and  subsistence  for  three  or  four 
hundred  followers  among  the  Mahratta  princes  : — 
4  What  earthly  end  can  I  have  in  view  ?  But, 
among  the  Hindoos  or  Mohammedans,  I  never 
heard  of  any  whose  birth,  life,  death,  resurrection, 
and  ascension,  can  be  compared  with  Jesus.  I  per- 
ceive he  is  the  only  Saviour,  and  I  see  I  may  ob- 
tain remission  of  sins  through  him.' 

"  July  8th. — In  consequence  of  the  above  visit, 
the  friends  and  adherents  of  the  Rajah  became  quite 
violent  with  him,  and  threatened,  by  some  means 
or  other,  to  put  an  end  to  his  life.  They  threaten- 
ed Abdool  also,  who  quietly,  but  resolutely  an- 
swered, '  If  you  should  accomplish  my  death,  it 
would  be  a  cause  of  joy  to  me,  as  bringing  me  at 
once  to  Him  whose  I  am ;  but,  be  assured,  your 


APPENDIX.  233 

lives  would  be  forfeited  to  the  law,  and  at  the 
throne  of  God,  you  would  find  Raim,*  or  any  other 
you  depend  upon,  quite  unable  to  save  you  from 
the  guilt  of  murder.'  They  were  dismayed  at  his 
resolution,  and  have  kept  aloof  from  him  since ; 
but  have  persuaded  the  Rajah  to  make  a  journey  to 
Gualier,  where  another  widow  of  Cheyt  Sing's  is, 
and  of  a  brother  of  his  own.  He  says  he  will  come 
back  alone  shortly  ;  appears  in  deep  distress  ;  and 
said  to-day,  *  I  go  with  them  because  I  fear  they 
will  otherwise  murder  me  ;  but  I  know,  if  I  do  not 
become  a  Christian,  I  shall  go  to  hell  with  my 
eyes  open.  My  faith  is  in  Jesus  Christ  alone,  and 
beside  him  there  is  no  Saviour. '  A  Mohammedan 
in  the  service  of  the  Rajah  has  been  the  chief  op- 
poser,  and  has  tried  to  get  others  to  say  that  Ab- 
dool  wished  to  compel  people  to  become  Christians. 
A  Molwee,  who  lives  near,  and  to  whom  he  first 
addressed  himself,  told  him  at  once  he  lied,  and 
was  an  infidel  for  opposing  an  idolater  who  wished 
to  believe  in  revelation,  though  not  in  Mohammed. 
The  Hindoos  to  whom  he  applied,  said  he  was  mad ; 
that  they  saw  and  heard  all  that  passed  in  Abdool's 
house,  and  saw  no  violence  offered  to  any  one. 
One  Hindoo  said,  '  I  hear  him  forbid  people  to  kill, 
or  to  commit  adultery,  or  to  steal,  or  to  tell  lies  ' 
if  this  be  Christianity,  it  is  a  good  religion ;  there 
*  An  idol. 
u2 


234  APPENDIX 

are   no  such   good   words   even   in   the   Sanscrit 
books.' 

"July  llth. — A  man  from  a  neighbouring  vil- 
lage was  present  to-day,  who  has  been  a  constant 
attendant  for  some  time.  He  was  asked  why  he 
had  expressed  a  wish  to  become  a  Christian  ?  He 
answered,  «  For  the  sake  of  salvation.'  What  had 
he  heard,  that  should  induce  him  to  hope  for  salva- 
tion in  Christianity  ?  .  He  said,  4  He  had  never 
heard  of  any  whose  birth  corresponded  with  that 
of  Christ;  that  to  raise  the  dead,  and  himself  to 
rise  from  the  dead,  proved  him  to  be  the  Son  of 
God,  and  able  to  give  remission  of  sins.  He  to-day 
took  his  meal  with  the  Christians,  by  which  his 
caste  is  gone. 

"  July  24/A. — To-day  a  Mohammedan  from  Berth- 
pore  came,  who  is  physician  to  the  Rajah's  family. 
He  had  long  ago  perused  the  Pentateuch  in  Arabic, 
lent  him  by  a  Roman  Catholic  priest,  who  lived 
with  General  Duboin.  About  two  years  ago,  it 
•came  into  his  mind  to  search  for  truth.  The 
irreconcilable  contradictions  among  the  different 
Mohammedan  sects,  struck  him  powerfully,  and 
convinced  him  that  truth  was  not  with  them.  He 
read  in  the  Koran,  that  Christ  is  the  Spirit  of  God. 
This  gave  him  a  high  idea  of  our  Saviour.  He 
took  an  opportunity  of  coming  to  Agra  soon  aftei 
that  time,  when  he  visited  Mr.  C.  the  Baptist  mis- 


APPENDIX.  235 

sionary,  who  urged  him  to  an  immediate  profession 
of  Christianity.  This  he  was  not  prepared  for,  but 
took  a  copy  of  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Mark,  in  Per- 
sian, translated  by  Sabat,  and  went  back  to  Berth- 
pore.  There  he  has  been  until  the  present  time, 
fully  persuaded  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and 
the  divinity  of  Christ,  from  the  perusal  of  the  above 
translation,  but  desirous  of  meeting  with  some  of 
his  own  countrymen,  who  could  inform  him  fur- 
ther ;  he  at  length  heard  of  Abdool,  and  of  the  kind- 
ness and  inoffensiveness  of  his  manners.  *  This,' 
said  he,  'is  the  way  of  that  religion.'  And  on 
Monday,  he  came  over  on  purpose  to  meet  with 
Abdool.  He  was  led  to  the  house  of  a  Molwee, 
who  teaches  our  Christian  boys  Arabic,  and  who  is 
very  favourable  to  the  truth  ;  so  that  his  introduc- 
tion to  Abdool  was  thus  made  easy.  He  now 
wishes  to  be  baptized ;  seems  less  than  any  native 
whom  I  have  seen,  to  consult  with  flesh  and  blood ; 
said  he  desired  only  to  be  great  in  the  sight  of  God, 
and,  if  it  were  his  will,  to  be  among  the  first  fruits 
of  Hindoostan  ;  for  he  is  sure  that  all  the  land  will 
become  Christian,  and  he  desires  to  give  himself 
to  labour  to  spread  the  Gospel.  He  has  a  son 
eighteen  years  old,  whom  he  has  made  acquainted 
with  the  change  passing  in  his  mind ;  and  who,  he 
says,  is,  equally  with  himself,  disposed  to  embrace 
the  Gospel.  He  has  gone  back  to  bring  this  son, 


236  APPENDIX. 

and  what  property  he  has,  that  he  may  give  him- 
self wholly  to  the  work  of  the  Lord. 

"  July  18th. — This  afternoon  the  above  person 
made  his  appearance,  with  his  son,  at  worship  in 
the  city.  He  had  thought,  he  said,  of  sending  his 
son  first :  but  afterward  reflected,  « This  is  not  a 
work  to  be  delayed,  or  trifled  with.'  He  publicly 
professed,  before  all  the  people  assembled,  that  he 
was  come  expressly  to  receive  baptism.  He  laid 
aside  his  turban,  and  knelt  down  to  prayer  with  the 
Christian  part  of  the  assembly. 

"  July  23. — To-day,  Abdool's  eldest  nephew,  af- 
ter many  solicitations,  was  examined  for  baptism. 
So  long  since  as  the  beginning  of  May,  he  had 
been  observed  diligent  in  secret  duties ;  and  the 
questions  which  he  asked,  discovered  an  awakened 
conscience.  On  Monday  last,  he  began  to  read 
the  Scriptures,  and  pray  with  the  Catechumens. 
This  was  after  repeated  requests  to  be  allowed  to 
do  so,  and  diligent  application  to  private  reading  of 
the  Scriptures.  To-day  he  was  asked,  «  Why  do 
you  wish  to  be  baptized  ?'  He  said,  *  Because  1 
am  conscious  of  many  and  great  sins,  and  I  wish 
to  enter  on  the  way  of  forgiveness.' 

"  Ques.— 'But  perhaps  the  English  government 
may  not  always  remain  in  this  land ;  and  you  know, 
in  that  case,  the  Hindoos  and  Mohammedans  would 
persecute  you  :  what  would  you  do  ?' 


APPENDIX.  237 

"  J?ns. — <  Certainly,  since  they  despised,  and 
persecuted,  and  ill-treated  the  Saviour,  I  can  expect 
no  other ;  but,  through  his  help,  I  would  remain 
firm.' 

"  July  24th. — During  the  whole  of  this  week, 
the  Hugeem  from  Berthpore  has  attended  daily  with 
his  son.  The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  was  appoint- 
ed to  be  read,  to  show  him  the  connexion  between 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  As  we  went  on, 
his  attention  was  evidently  attracted  by  the  pecu- 
liar truths  of  the  Gospel — the  divinity  of  Christ — 
his  suitableness,  as  God,  to  be  a  Saviour — the  suf- 
ficiency of  his  sacrifice,  and  the  extent  of  it,  as 
reaching  to  sins  under  the  former  dispensation  also. 
The  passages  connected  with  these  subjects,  drew 
from  him  many  expressions  indicative  of  a  truly 
enlightened  mind.  He  has  been  daily  also  inquir- 
ing about  baptism  ;  and  as  the  subject  has  been  on 
his  mind  above  two  years,  and  he  is  now  evidently 
decided  in  his  choice,  it  was  agreed  to  baptize  him 
to-morrow.  After  talking  of  his  family,  I  asked 
if  he  was  aware  of  any  thing  in  his  own  history 
for  which  God  might  be  justly  displeased  with 
him.  He  answered,  '  What  have  I  done,  that  de- 
serves the  name  of  virtue,  all  my  days  ?  If  I  have 
done  any  thing  good  at  all,  it  is  this  acceptance 
of  the  truth.'" 

Bishop  Heber   makes  mention  of  Messeeh,  in 


238  APPENDIX. 

his  Journal,  near  Agra,   January   12th,    1825,  as 
follows : — 

"  Abdool  Messeeh  breakfasted  this  morning  at 
Mr.  Irving' s ;  he  is  a  very  fine  old  man,  with  a 
magnificent  grey  beard,  and  much  more  gentlemanly 
manners,  than  any  Christian  native  whom  I  have 
seen.  His  rank,  indeed,  previous  to  his  convex 
sion,  was  rather  elevated,  since  he  was  master  of 
the  jewels  to  the  court  of  Oude,  an  appointment  of 
higher  estimation  in  eastern  palaces,  than  in  those 
of  Europe,  and  the  holder  of  which  has  always  a 
high  salary.  Abdool  Messeeh's  present  appoint- 
ments, as  Christian  missionary,  are  sixty  rupees  a 
month,*  and  of  this,  he  gives  away  at  least  half. 
Who  can  dare  to  say,  that  this  man  has  changed 
his  faith  from  any  interested  motives  ?  He  is  a  very 
good  Hindoostanee,  Persian,  and  Arabic  scholar, 
but  knows  no  English.  There  is  a  small  congre 
gation  of  native  Christians,  converted  under  Mr. 
Corrie,  when  he  was  chaplain  at  Agra,  and  now 
kept  together  by  Abdool  Messeeh.  The  earnest  de- 
sire of  this  good  man  is,  to  be  ordained  a  clergyman 
of  the  church  of  England ;  and  if  God  spares  his 
life  and  mine,  I  hope,  during  the  next  autumn,  to 
confer  orders  on  him.  He  is  every  way  fit  for 
them,  and  is  a  most  sincere  Christian,  quite  free, 
so  far  as  I  could  observe,  from  all  conceit  or  enthu- 
*  A  rupee  is  worth  about  fifty  cents. 


APPENDIX.     '  239 

siasm.  His  long  eastern  dress,  his  long  grey  beard, 
and  his  calm,  resigned  countenance,  give  him  al- 
ready almost  the  air  of  an  apostle." 

In  that  year  he  was  much  afflicted  by  losing  the 
use  of  his  limbs  by  the  palsy ;  '  but,'  said  he,  '  I 
can  move  about  in  a  carriage,  and  God  grants  me 
the  faculty  of  speech.  Through  his  blessing,  I  trust 
I  shell  be  permitted,  until  death,  to  declare  the 
truths  of  the  gospel.  When,  at  length,  this  sinful 
body  of  mine  is  dead,  and  shall  have  put  on  im- 
mortality, may  I  be  found  among  the  least  of  the 
blessed  !' 

Thus  he  maintained  a  consistent  Christian  life, 
and  his  closing  hours  were  brightened  with  Chris- 
tian hope. 

"  He  became  ill ;  and  Dr.  Luxmore,  finding  him 
in  a  dying  condition,  from  mortification,  had  him 
conveyed  to  his  own  house,  where  he  was  supplied 
with  suitable  medicine,  nourishment,  and  attend- 
ance, to  the  last.  He  expressed  his  deep  gratitude 
for  this  change  of  residence ;  for  he  said,  that  had 
he  died  at  home  among  his  own  relations,  they  per- 
haps would  have  interred  his  remains  according  to 
the  ceremonies  of  their  own  erroneous  faith  :  *  But 
now,'  said  he,  '  Christian  brethren  will  bury  me.' 
He  expressed  himself  as  perfectly  resigned ;  and 
«aid  that  death  had  no  terrors  for  him,  for  that  his 
Saviour  had  deprived  it  of  its  sting.  He  expressed 


240  APPENDIX. 

to  a  friend  who  attended  on  him,  his  gratitude  for 
the  kind  attention  of  Mr.  Ricketts,  the  Resident, 
saying,  '  See  the  fruits  of  Christian  love  !'  The 
day  before  his  death,  he  requested  his  friend  to 
write  his  will.  A  house  which  the  Resident  had 
enabled  him  to  purchase,  he  left  to  his  mother ;  his 
books  to  the  Bible.  Society,  and  his  clothes  to  a 
nephew.  After  concluding  these  formalities,  he 
said,  '  Thanks  be  to  God,  I  have  done  with  this 
world  !  and  with  regard  to  my  mother,'  putting  his 
hands  in  a  supplicating  posture,  'I  commend  her 
to  God :'  then,  laying  his  hand  upon  his  nephew, 
he  said  to  his  friend,  *  Speak  to  the  Resident,  that 
no  one  be  allowed  to  injure  him  :'  then  desiring  his 
friend  to  come  near  him,  and  putting  his  hands  in 
an  attitude  of  prayer,  he  said,  '  O  Father,  Son,  and 

Holy  Ghost,  be  gracious  to ' 

"  On  one  occasion  he  inquired  after  a  man  who 
had  been  with  him  for  some  time  for  religious  in- 
struction ;  and  being  told  he  was  at  hand,  desired 
he  might  be  called.  On  his  approach,  he  questioned 
him  on  some  points  of  religion,  and  explained  to 
him  the  Lord's  Prayer  throughout :  he  spoke  of 
his  intention  to  baptize  him,  should  he  recover  ; 
and  desired,  that,  in  the  event  of  his  death,  a  cleri- 
cal friend  might  be  requested  to  do  so.  Shortly  be- 
fore he  expired,  being  told  that  the  New  Testa- 
ment was  at  hand,  at  his  desire,  the  fourth  chapter 


APPENDIX.  241 

of  St.  John  was  read  to  him  ;  at  the  conclusion  of 
which,  he  said,  '  Thanks  be  to  God !'  A  hymn, 
which  he  had  composed  a  short  time  before,  was 
then  sung,  and  of  which  the  following  is  a  para- 
phrase :— 

Blest  Saviour  of  the  world  !  who  art 

Beloved  supremely  still  by  me, 
Now,  in  thy  ever-loving  heart, 

Oh  let  me  not  forgotten  be  ! 

,  Of  all  that  blooms  in  earthly  bower, 

Or  in  ethereal  field  that  blows, 
Of  every  sweet  and  fragrant  flower, 
Thou  art  the  fairest,  Sharon's  rose  ! 

Long  passed  away  youth's  cheerful  morn, 
And  age's  closing  hours  come  on — 

These  grieve  me  not — my  soul  is  torn 
By  memory  of  my  sins  alone. 

Blest  Saviour  of  the  world !  who  art 

Beloved  supremely  still  by  me, 
Now,  in  thy  ever-loving  heart, 

Oh  let  me  not  forgotten  be ! 

"  He  joined  in  singing  this  hymn,  and  desired 
that  it  might  be  sung  a  second  time  :  but  he  could 
no  longer  articulate  distinctly,  and  soon  became  in- 
sensible to  every  thing  around  him.  He  lay, 
seemingly  in  perfect  ease,  till  the  evening  ;  when 
he  raised  his  head  from  the  pillow,  and  with  his 
left  hand  took  hold  of  the  hand  of  his  friend — then 
gently  withdrew  it — and  breathed  his  last." 
X 


242  APPENDIX 


Hymn  referred  to  on  page  52. 

THE  God  of  Abraham  praise, 
Who  reigns  enthroned  above  ; 
Ancient  of  everlasting  days, 

And  God  of  love ! 
Jehovah,  great  I  AM  ! 
By  earth  and  heaven  confessed, 
I  bow  and  bless  the  sacred  name, 
For  ever  blessed. 

The  God  of  Abraham  praise, 
At  whose  supreme  command, 
From  earth  I  rise,  and  seek  the  joys 

At  his  right  hand : 
I  all  on  earth  forsake, 
Its  wisdom,  fame,  and  power : 
And  him  my  only  portion  make, 
My  shield  and  tower. 

The  God  of  Abraham  praise, 
Whose  all-sufficient  grace 
Shall  guide  me,  all  my  happy  days, 

In  all  his  ways  : 

He  calls  a  worm  his  friend ! 

He  calls  himself  my  God ! 

And  he  shall  save  me  to  the  end, 

Through  Jesus'  blood. 


APPENDIX. 

He  by  himself  hath  sworn  ; 
I  on  his  oath  depend ; 
I  shall,  on  eagles'  wings  upborne, 

To  heaven  ascend  ; 
I  shall  behold  his  face, 
I  shall  his  power  adore  ; 
And  sing  the  wonders  of  his  grace 
For  evermore ! 

Though  nature's  strength  decay, 
And  earth  and  hell  withstand, 
To  Canaan's  bounds  I  urge  my  way, 

At  God's  command : 
The  watery  deep  I  pass, 
With  Jesus  in  my  view, 
And  through  the  howling  wilderness 
My  way  pursue. 

The  goodly  land  I  see, 
With  peace  and  plenty  blest ; 
The  land  of  sacred  liberty, 

And  endless  rest : 
There  milk  and  honey  flow, 
And  oil  and  wine  abound ; 
And  trees  of  life  for  ever  grow, 
With  mercy  crowned. 

There  dwells  the  Lord  our  King, 
The  Lord  our  righteousness  ! 


243 


244  APPENDIX. 

Triumphant  o'er  the  world  and  sin, 

The  Prince  of  Peace  ! 
On  Sion's  sacred  height, 
His  kingdom  still  maintains ; 
And  glorious,  with  his  saints  in  light, 
For  ever  reigns. 

The  ransomed  nations  bow 
Before  the  Saviour's  face, 
Joyful  their  radiant  crowns  they  throw 

Overwhelmed  with  grace  : 
He,  shows  his  scars  of  love  ; 
They  kindle  to  a  flame, 
And  sound  through  all  the  worlds  above, 
"  The  atoning  Lamb  !" 

The  whole  triumphant  host 
Give  thanks  to  God  on  high, 
"  Hail  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost !" 

They  ever  cry : 

Hail  Abraham's  God  and  mine  ! 
I  join  the  heavenly  lays  ; 
All  might  and  majesty  are  thine, 
And  endless  praise ! 


APPENDIX.  245 


Hymn  referred  to  on  page  59. 

O'ER  the  gloomy  hills  of  darkness, 
Look,  my  soul,  be  still  and  gaze ; 

All  the  promises  do  travail 
With  a  glorious  day  of  grace  : 
Blessed  Jubilee, 

Let  thy  glorious  morning  dawn  ! 

Kingdoms  wide,  that  sit  in  darkness, 
Grant  them,  Lord,  the  glorious  light ; 

And  from  eastern  coast  to  western, 
May  the  morning  chase  the  night ; 
And  redemption, 

Freely  purchased  win  the  day  ' 

Fly  abroad,  thou  mighty  gospel 

Win  and  conquer,  never  cease ; 
May  thy  lasting  wide  dominions, 
Multiply,  and  still  increase  ! 

Sway  thy  sceptre, 
Saviour !  all  the  world  around. 
x2 


246  APPENDIX. 

Verse  alluded  to  on  page  192  ;  paraphrased  by  Mr 
Newton,  from  the  Latin. 

In  desert  woods  with  thee,  my  God, 
Where  human  footsteps  never  trod, 

How  happy  could  I  be  ! 
Thou  my  repose  from  care,  my  light 
Amidst  the  darkness  of  the  night, 

In  solitude  my  company. 


THE   END. 


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